Putin: Ukraine War to Continue Without Agreement

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that the conflict in Ukraine will persist if no peace agreement is reached, declaring Moscow is prepared to achieve its objectives through military means.

Speaking in Beijing at the end of a four-day state visit to China, Putin said Russian forces are advancing across the frontlines while Ukraine’s reserves are “exhausted.” He expressed confidence in eventual victory, adding: “If we do not succeed in reaching an agreement on Ukraine, then we will achieve our goals by military means.”

The Russian leader dismissed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s legitimacy to negotiate, arguing that his term expired in 2024. Under martial law, however, Ukraine’s constitution permits Zelensky to remain in office until fresh elections are possible. Putin called dialogue with Zelensky a “dead end” but praised U.S. President Donald Trump’s push for renewed talks, saying he sees “light at the end of the tunnel” with the new U.S. administration.

While denying that Moscow directly links security guarantees to territorial claims, Putin maintained that Russia’s primary concern is protecting the rights of Russian-speaking populations in occupied areas.

After more than three and a half years of war, Russia controls around 20 percent of Ukraine’s territory, which it has annexed illegally. Kyiv has repeatedly rejected ceding any land, with Zelensky insisting the Ukrainian constitution prohibits territorial concessions.