Putin Says Ukraine War Is Nearing Its End

CNBC reported Saturday that Russian President Vladimir Putin believes the Ukraine war ending is within sight, with the Kremlin leader telling reporters he thought the conflict was drawing to a close.

“I think that the matter is coming to an end,” Putin said, according to CNBC. The remarks followed a markedly subdued Victory Day ceremony in Moscow’s Red Square, where Russia displayed footage of military hardware on giant screens rather than staging its traditional live parade of ballistic missiles and armor.

A War Now Longer Than Soviet Involvement in World War Two

Russian forces have been engaged in Ukraine for more than four years. That exceeds the duration of Soviet involvement in World War Two, a conflict that cost 27 million Soviet lives. Putin blamed the war’s origins on Western leaders, accusing them of breaking informal assurances that NATO would not expand eastward after the Berlin Wall fell in 1989. He described those leaders as “globalists” who attempted to pull Ukraine into the European sphere of influence.

The invasion, which began in February 2022, triggered the worst crisis in East-West relations since the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. Russian forces currently hold just under one-fifth of Ukrainian territory, with advances slowing noticeably this year.

Trump Announces Ceasefire as Both Sides Trade Blame

After Russia and Ukraine each accused the other of violating separately declared unilateral ceasefires, U.S. President Donald Trump stepped in. He announced a three-day truce running from Saturday through Monday, with both Kyiv and the Kremlin signaling their support. The two sides also agreed to exchange 1,000 prisoners of war.

Trump told reporters in Washington the war was “the worst thing since World War Two in terms of life,” citing an estimate of 25,000 soldiers lost monthly. He expressed hope the ceasefire would be extended significantly.

Schröder Floated as Kremlin’s Preferred Interlocutor

When pressed on whether he would engage European leaders in security talks, Putin named former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder as his preferred counterpart. European Council President António Costa had previously suggested there was scope for the EU to discuss the future of European security architecture with Moscow directly.

European governments have consistently maintained that Russia must not be allowed to prevail in Ukraine, and several leaders have labeled Putin a war criminal. The Kremlin has dismissed those characterizations. Putin also said a direct meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy could only take place after a durable peace agreement was already in place.

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