Putin says Russia’s Ukraine goals will be met by force or diplomacy, deriding European leaders
President Putin asserts aims remain unchanged and could be achieved through negotiations or military action, as Moscow faces renewed diplomacy and Western pressure.
MOSCOW — President Vladimir Putin told the Defense Ministry’s annual board meeting that Russia’s goals in Ukraine remain unchanged and will be achieved either through negotiations or by further military advances if diplomacy fails. The remarks, delivered as Moscow marks the fourth year of its invasion, framed a binary path forward: a diplomatic settlement if Kyiv and its Western backers are willing to engage, or escalation on the battlefield if they are not.
"The goals of the special military operation will undoubtedly be achieved," Putin said, using the Kremlin’s term for the 2022 invasion. "We would prefer to accomplish this and address the root causes of the conflict through diplomatic means. However, 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," the Russian leader told military officials, according to a transcript released by the government.
Putin also took aim at Kyiv and its European allies for what he described as hysteria about Moscow, accusing Western governments of trying to weaken and divide Russia. He referred to European leaders as "piglets" during the Defense Ministry meeting, a remark captured in a translated video posted by a Kremlin aide. The comments came as Western officials warned of potential future Russian aggression and as diplomacy intensified in Europe and beyond.
The president’s speech reflected a broader narrative in Moscow: that Russia’s objectives remain consistent, and that Moscow will test diplomatic channels while maintaining the option of military action if negotiations fail. Putin’s remarks were part of a larger backdrop in which U.S., European, Russian and Ukrainian officials conducted a flurry of diplomacy aimed at ending the war.
In Berlin on Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his negotiating team met with Jared Kushner and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine. The meeting was part of a broader round of discussions as Kyiv seeks assurances that would deter renewed Russian attacks and secure potential terms for a settlement. The Berlin gathering occurred after a separate December session in Moscow, where Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s foreign policy adviser, and other officials received what they described as four documents from U.S. envoys, including a 27-point plan; Ushakov declined to detail their contents.
The diplomatic push comes as Moscow asserts battlefield progress and tech advances in its campaign, while Western capitals weigh increased defense spending and alliance readiness. A NATO official, speaking on background, warned that Russia could be prepared to use military force against the alliance within five years, underscoring the strategic stakes as governments seek to bolster defenses and production capacity across Europe.
In addition to Zelenskyy’s Berlin talks, the scene in Moscow underscored the competing currents shaping the war: the Kremlin’s belief that Washington and its allies are trying to sow instability and the Western effort to coordinate security guarantees and political support for Ukraine. Officials on both sides stress that there is no guarantee of a breakthrough, and that any settlement would require mutual concessions amid a protracted stalemate.
As the talks unfolded, Putin’s remarks at the defense board meeting signaled that Moscow would keep its options open. He lauded what he described as Russia’s military progress and technological strides, framing them as part of a broader strategy to secure what Moscow calls its historical lands. Western officials have argued that Moscow has shown no clear path to de-escalation and that any future settlement would require durable terms to prevent renewed aggression.
The Berlin round also highlighted the international attention on Ukraine’s security guarantees and the potential shape of any peace framework. Participating observers included a line of European leaders and security figures, illustrating the array of interests at stake as Kyiv seeks assurances that its sovereignty and territorial integrity will be protected in any negotiated settlement. The discussions followed a December encounter in Moscow in which the Russian side received documents from U.S. envoys, with Ushakov noting that four documents were delivered but declining to describe their content publicly.
The evolving diplomacy occurs alongside steady, if contested, claims from Moscow about battlefield gains and strategic advancements. Putin’s defense ministry address mirrors a common theme in Russian public messaging: that Russia has both the military means and political will to pursue its objectives, even as it remains open to diplomacy if terms are acceptable. Analysts caution that the conflict’s trajectory remains unsettled and that any lasting resolution will require acceptance by all principal parties of difficult compromises.
Across the Atlantic, U.S. officials have signaled continued support for Ukraine while pursuing negotiations that would offer security guarantees and concrete steps toward a durable peace. The coming weeks are likely to test the balance between military readiness and diplomatic avenues as Kyiv and its partners weigh what terms might be acceptable and what assurances Moscow is prepared to offer to end a war that has destabilized Europe and reshaped its security architecture.
