MI6 chief says no evidence Putin seeks peace in Ukraine

LONDON — Britain's foreign intelligence chief said Friday at the British consulate in Istanbul that there is "absolutely no evidence" Vladimir Putin intends to negotiate peace in Ukraine, describing the Russian leader as "stringing us along."

Sir Richard Moore, who is stepping down as head of the Secret Intelligence Service, MI6, after five years, said Putin "seeks to impose his imperial will by all means at his disposal" but cannot succeed, adding that the Russian president "has bitten off more than he can chew" and underestimated the Ukrainians.

Moore noted that Russia's invasion, launched in February 2022, has killed tens of thousands and continues mainly in eastern Ukraine. He argued the war has strengthened Ukrainian national identity and accelerated its westward trajectory, contributing to Sweden's and Finland's accession to NATO.

"Putin has sought to convince the world that Russian victory is inevitable. But he lies. He lies to the world. He lies to his people. Perhaps he even lies to himself," Moore said. He added that Putin is "mortgaging his country's future for his own personal legacy and a distorted version of history" and warned that such moves have accelerated Russia's decline.

Analysts say Putin believes he can outlast the political commitment of Ukraine's Western partners and win a protracted war of attrition by wearing down Ukraine's smaller army with sheer weight of numbers.

Ukraine, meanwhile, is racing to expand its defense cooperation with other countries and secure billions of dollars of investment in its domestic weapons industry.

Moore's remarks come as the war continues, with fighting in eastern Ukraine and ongoing efforts to deter Russia and bolster Kyiv's defenses.