Putin claims Gains in Ukraine, Signals Openness to Talks Under Strict Conditions
Russia’s president addressed the state of the conflict in Ukraine during his annual press conference, asserting battlefield successes while reiterating demands for territorial concessions as a prerequisite for negotiations.
Vladimir Putin, in his annual year-end press conference, did not dismiss the possibility of future peace negotiations with Ukraine, but primarily focused on highlighting what he characterized as consistent advances by Russian forces along the entire front line.The Russian leader claimed partial control over several key cities and asserted that Ukrainian forces are in retreat.
During the extensive conference, Putin underscored Russia’s willingness to negotiate, but only under specific, previously stated conditions. He detailed Russian control over approximately 50% of the cities of Mirnograd (also known as Dimitrov) and Kostiantivka, both located in the Donetsk region. According to Russian accounts, Mirnograd is entirely encircled, with Ukrainian troops attempting to escape in small groups. In Kostiantivka,Putin expressed confidence in the Russian army’s ability to fully dominate the city.
In the Kharkiv region, Putin asserted that Kupiansk fell under Russian control several weeks ago, with current operations focused on eliminating Ukrainian troops entrenched on the left bank of the Oskil River.He claimed approximately 15 Ukrainian battalions, equivalent to around 3,500 soldiers, are currently surrounded in that area.
Further south, in Pokrovsk, also in the Donetsk region, Putin maintained that Ukrainian attempts to regain lost positions have been unsuccessful. He insisted that Ukraine is suffering significant losses and that its strategic reserves are dwindling, perhaps pushing Kyiv to seek a peaceful resolution.
Despite the hardline rhetoric, Putin indicated that signals have been received suggesting Ukraine’s willingness to engage in dialog to end the war. However, he emphasized that Kyiv remains unwilling to discuss the territorial issue, which he identified as the primary obstacle to negotiations. Russia, he reiterated, remains open to a peaceful resolution, contingent upon the fulfillment of previously stated principles, including the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the four regions annexed by Moscow in 2022.
Putin stressed that addressing the root causes of the conflict is essential for any agreement, with the territorial issue remaining the most challenging point of contention. According to official Russian data,the army has purportedly taken over 6,300 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory in 2025,and nearly 94,000 square kilometers since February 2022 – an area comparable to Hungary and roughly one-fifth of Ukraine. However, these figures sharply contrast with self-reliant assessments. The Institute for the Study of War, for example, estimates that the area under Russian control is less than 5,000 square kilometers, representing less than 1% of Ukrainian territory.
The Russian General Staff claims to have extended control over more than 300 locations in Ukraine throughout the year, a claim disputed by external experts. Countering these claims, Oleksandr Sirskyi, the head of the Ukrainian Army, stated that Kyiv has expelled most Russian forces from kupiansk and currently controls approximately 90% of the city. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently visited Kupiansk and recorded a video with the city’s sign, demonstrably challenging Russia’s claims of control.
When questioned about zelenskyy’s visit, Putin dismissed the Ukrainian president as a “talented artist” and questioned why he did not fully enter the city if it where truly under Ukrainian control, implying a limited Ukrainian presence in Kupiansk.
Putin’s annual press conference, which this year combined a direct hotline with citizens and a traditional press conference, received over 2.7 million questions, exceeding the previous year’s volume.The majority of inquiries originated from Moscow, followed by St. Petersburg and regions in southern Russia and the Urals. approximately 20% of the questions focused on social policy issues, such as retirement, healthcare, and subsidies, while concerns about the war in Ukraine took a secondary role.
Addressing the issue of frozen Russian assets abroad,Putin warned that European countries “will have to return what was stolen” and that Moscow intends to pursue the recovery of these assets through legal channels,characterizing Western actions as “open robbery” against Russia.
Concluding his remarks, Putin expressed confidence in the Russian forces’ ability to consolidate their positions in key cities and anticipated further advances in the near term.