Putin warns Russia will expand military gains in Ukraine if peace talks fail

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday warned that Moscow would seek to extend its territorial gains in Ukraine if Kyiv and its Western allies reject Russia’s conditions in ongoing peace efforts, underlining that the Kremlin remains prepared to pursue its objectives by military means.

Speaking at an annual meeting with senior military officers, Putin said Russia would prefer to achieve its goals through diplomacy and “eliminate the root causes of the conflict”, but issued a stark warning if talks fail.

“If the opposing side and its foreign patrons refuse to engage in substantive dialogue, Russia will achieve the liberation of its historical lands by military means,” he said.

The remarks come amid a renewed diplomatic push led by US President Donald Trump to end nearly four years of fighting since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Yesterday, Trump said a deal to end the Ukraine war is “closer than ever” after high-level talks in Berlin, though key disagreements persist. Negotiations involving the US, Ukraine and European leaders focused on security guarantees and territorial issues, which remain unresolved. European leaders backed robust, US-supported security arrangements for Ukraine, short of NATO membership.

However, negotiations have been complicated by sharply conflicting demands from Moscow and Kyiv.

Putin claimed that Russian forces have seized and are firmly holding the “strategic initiative” along the entire front line, and said Moscow would expand a “buffer security zone” along the Russian border. He also asserted that Russia’s troops are now “battle-hardened” and unmatched in combat experience.

Ukraine and its Western allies reject Moscow’s claims, describing Russia’s actions as a violation of Ukrainian sovereignty and an unprovoked act of aggression.

Military posture and nuclear signals

Putin also highlighted Russia’s growing military capabilities, particularly the modernisation of its nuclear arsenal. He said the new nuclear-capable Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile would formally enter combat duty this month. Russia tested a conventionally armed version of the missile in November 2024 during a strike on a Ukrainian factory, with Putin claiming it is impossible to intercept.

His comments followed several rounds of talks this week involving Ukrainian, American and European officials on a US-drafted peace plan. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said after meeting US envoys in Berlin that the document could be finalised within days, after which it would be presented to the Kremlin.

Sticking points

Putin has insisted that Ukraine and the international community recognise Russian control over Crimea, annexed in 2014, and all areas captured by Russian forces in four eastern and southern regions. He has also demanded that Ukraine withdraw from parts of eastern Ukraine still under Kyiv’s control.

The Kremlin continues to insist that Ukraine abandon its bid to join NATO, and has warned that any deployment of NATO troops would be considered a “legitimate target”.

Zelenskyy has said Ukraine could consider dropping its NATO membership bid if it receives robust security guarantees comparable to those enjoyed by NATO members, though he has stressed that NATO remains Kyiv’s preferred option. He has firmly rejected Russian demands for Ukrainian troop withdrawals from areas not captured by Moscow.

Describing the draft peace plan discussed in Berlin as “not perfect” but “very workable”, Zelenskyy said Ukraine and its allies were close to agreeing on strong security guarantees, while acknowledging that territorial control remains the most contentious issue.

With diplomacy intensifying but positions hardening, Putin’s warning signals that Moscow is prepared to escalate militarily if talks do not deliver outcomes aligned with the Kremlin’s demands.