Russia is not ready for concessions: Putin makes tough statement on Ukraine
18 December 2025 08:24
Russian President Vladimir Putin has publicly declared his readiness to expand the occupation of Ukrainian territories if the peace initiatives currently being discussed with the participation of the United States and Europe fail. This statement was made against the backdrop of diplomatic contacts to end the war, which have not yet yielded results. This was reported by "Komersant Ukrainian" with reference to the Reuters publication.
What exactly did Putin say?
At the annual meeting of the Ministry of Defense, Putin emphasized that Moscow is advancing on all fronts. The Kremlin dictator emphasized that Russia will “achieve its goals” either through negotiations or by military means.
“If the opposite side and their foreign patrons refuse to hold substantive negotiations, Russia will achieve the liberation of its historical lands by military means,” he said.
In fact, this is a direct threat of continuation and escalation of the war if Ukraine and its allies do not agree to Moscow’s terms, in particular regarding territorial concessions.
What territories does Russia consider “its own”?
Russia claims control over about 19% of Ukraine’s territory, including Crimea, parts of Donbas, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.
Ukraine categorically rejects any claims of the Russian Federation and emphasizes that no negotiations can involve the loss of sovereignty.
Kremlin’s military plans
Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov confirmed that Russia plans to increase the pace of its offensive in 2026. According to official data, in 2025, Moscow spent more than 5% of GDP on war, one of the highest rates of economic militarization in the world.
Rhetoric against Europe and NATO
Putin accused European politicians, whom he called “scoundrels” or “young pigs,” of stirring up hysteria about a potential war with Russia, warning that Moscow could one day attack a NATO country.
“I have repeatedly stated that this is a lie, nonsense, pure nonsense about some imaginary Russian threat to European countries. But this is being done quite deliberately,” Putin said.
At the same time, Europe emphasizes that it is the Kremlin’s aggressive policy that is forcing it to strengthen its defense.
What it means for Ukraine
Putin’s statement demonstrates Russia’s unwillingness to make a real compromise. For Ukraine, this means that the key issues remain:
- military support from the West,
- real security guarantees,
- preservation of territorial integrity as the basis for any negotiations.
In fact, the Kremlin is using peace initiatives as a tool of pressure, while simultaneously preparing to continue the war.
