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Russian President Vladimir Putin’s annual marathon press conference once again combined local governance complaints with sweeping geopolitical commentary, signaling that his red lines on the war in Ukraine remain unchanged—coming on the heels of Europe’s $105 billion lifeline for Kyiv.
This year’s event followed Europe’s decision to extend a $105 billion interest-free loan to Ukraine, aimed at sustaining its resistance against Moscow. While European leaders stopped short of diverting frozen Russian assets to Ukraine, the loan effectively provides Kyiv with both time and resources as the conflict, launched by Putin in February 2022, approaches its fourth year.
With the aid package in mind, Putin struck a hard tone on the war, highlighting what he described as Russia’s incremental gains on the battlefield. He claimed Russian forces were “advancing across the whole of the front line,” naming towns and villages that Moscow says are now under full or partial control. The press conference, which lasted more than four hours, also saw Putin deflect responsibility for the heavy loss of life, insisting that Russia “did not start this war.”
At the same time, he hinted at conditional openness to negotiations, saying Moscow was ready to end the conflict peacefully based on previously outlined principles, while repeatedly referring to what he called the “root causes” of the crisis. That phrase remains central to Russia’s long-standing demands, including Ukraine’s withdrawal from the Donbas region, a halt to NATO expansion, and fundamental political changes in Kyiv.
Putin also revisited grievances over NATO’s eastward expansion after the Cold War, arguing that Russia would not resort to further “special military operations” if it were treated with respect. Critics, however, note that Russia’s 2022 invasion directly contributed to NATO’s expansion in Northern Europe, undercutting his argument.
The remarks come as the administration of former US President Donald Trump pushes ahead with an unconventional diplomatic effort to bring both sides to the negotiating table. Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, is expected to hold talks with senior Russian figures, including Kirill Dmitriev, head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund and a key Putin ally, as discussions continue on potential pathways to end the war.
Putin publicly praised Trump’s role, saying the American leader was “making serious efforts to end the conflict.” However, it remains unclear how sincere the Russian president is about ending the war, as his core demands and red lines appear largely unchanged.
