The president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, stated that the ongoing war in Ukraine is nearing its end, saying in an interview with journalists at the Kremlin on Saturday, “I think that the issue is about to be resolved.”
These comments came only a few hours after the Russians most restrained Victory Day parade in recent years, during which Putin announced his intent to win over Ukraine without any doubt.
These two statements contradicted each other.
During the parade held in Red Square, Putin applauded the Russian forces involved in the battle in Ukraine, mentioning that their mission was to fight against the whole of NATO, and they were doing this for the sake of justice.
“Victory has always been and will always be ours,” he said. However, later that day, he spoke to the media at the Kremlin in diplomatic terms.
Putin said he was ready to negotiate new arrangements for European security, and named former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder as his preferred partner in the talks.
Schroeder was Germany’s leader from 1998 to 2005 and has longstanding business ties with Russian state owned energy companies, a history that has made him a deeply controversial figure in much of Europe.
Battlefield tells a different story
This optimism is out of touch with realities on the ground.
The Ukrainians were able to advance more ground in April than they lost, despite having much of the front line stagnate in a vast, drone saturated gray zone.
Gains by Russia this year have significantly slowed, and Moscow’s forces have yet to capture all of the Donbas, which remains in the hands of fortress cities defended by Ukraine
After more than four years of war in which hundreds of thousands have died and Russia’s economy, worth an estimated three trillion dollars, has been heavily damaged, Russia holds only about one fifth of Ukraine’s territory.
But Kyiv has extended its reach as well. Ukrainian long range drones have attacked Russian power stations, factories, and military warehouses far behind the front line since February 2022.
The diplomatic track is in limbo. Kremlin says peace talks brokered by US President Donald Trump have stalled, even as Trump announced a three day ceasefire running Saturday through Monday, backed by both Moscow and Kyiv after each had accused the other of breaking earlier unilateral truces.
European Council President Antonio Costa said last week that the European Union could potentially speak with Russia about the security architecture of Europe.
When asked about a possible meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Putin said that could happen only after a lasting peace deal.
European capitals still say Russia needs to be defeated in Ukraine, warning Putin might then target a NATO member, something Moscow denies.
There is much talk of endings but the guns have not fallen silent.
