Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday said Moscow sees little willingness on Kyiv’s part to pursue a negotiated end to the war, warning that Russia would achieve the goals of its so-called “special military operation” by force if diplomacy fails.
Speaking amid a surge in Russian military activity and ahead of a planned meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump, Putin said the Ukrainian leadership was not serious about peace. “If the Kyiv authorities do not want to resolve the matter peacefully, we will accomplish all the tasks before us by military means,” he was quoted as saying by TASS.
Kyiv Showing No Urgency For Settlement
Putin reiterated that he had raised similar concerns earlier and claimed the “Kyiv regime” was showing no urgency in seeking a settlement. His remarks came after Russia launched a large overnight assault, firing around 500 drones and 40 missiles at Kyiv and nearby regions, killing at least one person and injuring nearly 30 others.
Zelenskyy said the 10-hour bombardment was proof that Moscow had no intention of ending the war it began in February 2022, which has since claimed tens of thousands of lives. He described the strikes as “Russia’s answer to our peace efforts,” while stressing that Ukraine remains committed to a diplomatic solution.
The Kremlin also said Putin had visited a Russian military command post, where he was briefed by Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov and commanders overseeing operations in central and eastern sectors. Russian officials later claimed new territorial gains in Ukraine’s Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions.
Zelenskyy, who travelled to Canada on Saturday, is due to meet Trump in Florida on Sunday. The talks are expected to focus on possible paths to end the nearly four-year war, including security guarantees and disputes over territories in eastern and southern Ukraine.