Putin says he is ready to make peace with Trump, but demands further concessions from Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on Thursday that the proposals put forward by the American president Donald Trump could help end the war in Ukraine. However, he stressed the need for Kyiv to make compromises, stating that he saw no sign of such a willingness on the part of the Ukrainian authorities.

Speaking to international media representatives on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, the Russian leader stated that Moscow remained willing to seek a diplomatic solution to the conflict. He also affirmed that Russia would respect the compromises reportedly reached with Donald Trump at a summit held in Alaska last year.

At the same time, Vladimir Putin asserted that Russia would continue fighting if no agreement was reached. According to him, Russian forces are continuing to advance on the ground and are capable of achieving their military objectives. He stated that Russia was prepared to "fight until victory" if negotiations failed.

The Russian president has shown no sign of softening his stance on territorial demands. He maintains that Ukraine must cede the remaining Donbas region still under its control in order to reach a settlement of the conflict. This position is firmly rejected by the Ukrainian president. Volodymyr Zelenskywho considers such a demand as a form of capitulation.

During his speech, Vladimir Putin asserted that Russia now controls the entirety of the Luhansk region as well as more than 85% of the Donetsk region. These two territories are among the four Ukrainian regions that Moscow claimed and annexed in 2022, a move that Kyiv and most Western countries consider illegal.

As the war drags on for five years, the conflict remains the deadliest Europe has seen since World War II. Vladimir Putin's statements underscore both the Kremlin's stated willingness to pursue diplomatic talks and its refusal to relinquish its key territorial claims, which remain a major obstacle to a peace agreement.