Putin says Russia is winning on battlefield, will not negotiate with 'terrorists'
"I have no doubt the enemy will crumble," Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters, standing firm on his stance against Ukraine as war fatigue continues to grow in Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin declared on Tuesday that Russia is triumphing on the battlefield in Ukraine and refused to engage in negotiations with the Ukrainian leadership, whom he labeled as terrorists. During his most comprehensive comments on the war in months, Putin acknowledged that Ukrainian assaults inside Russia had caused genuine harm and highlighted drones as a significant concern.
However, he asserted that Russia was making progress on the battlefield and declared his certainty that the enemy would be defeated. He firmly dismissed rumors of a new military draft, calling them pure nonsense. Despite Russia's control over around a fifth of Ukraine after four and a half years of conflict, growing war weariness in Russia and economic strain have raised doubts.
Nonetheless, Putin maintained a confident and assertive demeanor, praising the acceleration of Russian advances and announcing the capture of 270 square kilometers in the Donetsk region. He also mentioned that two large groups of Ukrainian troops were surrounded. Despite the US-mediated peace talks collapsing in February, Putin remained open to discussions aimed at ending the war rather than halting it and expressed willingness to talk to US President Donald Trump's envoys.
He stated that Russia would respond if Ukrainian drones attempted to shut down Russian airspace, calling the Ukrainian leader's warning state terrorism.
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