Photo courtesy of Anadolu
Russian President Vladimir Putin said a negotiated end to the war in Ukraine remained possible, although he maintained that Moscow and Kyiv must ultimately determine the terms of any settlement.
Putin told the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok on Thursday that other countries could assist diplomatic efforts, but argued that an agreement would first require common ground between the two sides directly involved in the conflict.
The Russian leader said Moscow remained in communication with Washington through several channels, including contacts involving intelligence agencies. He expressed hope that continued engagement with the United States could eventually contribute to progress.
Putin also signaled optimism about relations with US President Donald Trump, saying he believed the American leader was interested in constructive engagement with Moscow. He said improving broader Russia-US ties would require efforts from both governments.
His remarks on diplomacy were accompanied by accusations over incidents involving civilian vessels and aircraft. Putin claimed that seizures, attacks and threats against civilian transportation were making direct peace negotiations more difficult and accused Ukraine’s Western supporters of failing to respond.
Putin separately said Russia was accelerating development of its air defense capabilities. He claimed Russian forces had recently prevented attacks on oil refineries, without providing further details in the remarks.
The president also rejected speculation that Russia could order another mobilization, saying the government currently saw no circumstances that would require such a measure.
Putin’s comments came as fighting between Russia and Ukraine continued more than four years after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, with diplomatic initiatives so far failing to produce a lasting settlement.