Putin Signals Possible End of Ukraine War as Moscow Holds Scaled-Back Victory Day Parade

Mintesinot Niggusie

Russian President Putin has suggested the conflict in Ukraine may be approaching its end, saying he believes “the matter is coming to an end” while maintaining criticism of Western support for Kyiv.

His remarks came after Russia marked Victory Day in Moscow with a significantly reduced military parade, commemorating the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two. For the first time in nearly two decades, the Red Square event did not feature tanks or missiles, with authorities scaling back the display amid security concerns.

In his Victory Day address, Putin described Russia’s military campaign as a “just” war and accused Ukraine of acting as an “aggressive force” supported by NATO countries. The war began with Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and escalated into a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Putin said he would only meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after a final peace agreement is reached. “A meeting in a third country is also possible, but only once final agreements have been reached on a peace treaty,” he said, adding that such a meeting would be limited to signing a completed accord.

He also said he was open to discussions on broader European security arrangements and referred to former German chancellor Gerhard Schröder as a preferred negotiating counterpart. Diplomatic efforts have continued alongside the fighting. European Council President António Costa said there was “potential” for negotiations with Russia.

As part of a US-led ceasefire arrangement over the weekend, Russia and Ukraine agreed to exchange 1,000 prisoners each. Despite the ceasefire, Russia accused Ukraine of more than 6,000 drone strikes and hundreds of artillery attacks, while Ukraine reported injuries following Russian drone strikes in the Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions.