Russian President Vladimir Putin warned on Wednesday that Russia will seek to expand its territorial gains in Ukraine if Kyiv and its European allies reject US-proposed peace settlement, reported Reuters.
The US has spearheaded a diplomatic push to end the war, engaging in peace talks with Russia, Ukraine and European leaders. However, a deal remains elusive as Moscow and Kyiv maintain conflicting demands, particularly regarding territorial concessions.
Speaking at the annual meeting of the Russian Defense Ministry, Putin said that Russia prefers diplomatic means to end the conflict, but it could take territory by force if necessary.
“We would prefer to do this, and eliminate the root causes of the conflict, through diplomacy,” Putin said. “If the opposing country and its foreign sponsors refuse to engage in substantive discussions, Russia will achieve the liberation of its historical lands through military means,” he added.
Moreover, Putin claimed that the Russian army “has seized and firmly holds the strategic initiative across the entire frontline,” warning that Moscow will expand a “buffer security zone” alongside the Russian border.
Currently, Russia maintains control over 19% of Ukrainian territory, encompassing Crimea, the Donbas, and much of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, as well as smaller fragments of four other regions.
While Russia claims Crimea, Donbas, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia as its own, Ukraine and most countries reject this claim and view the regions as sovereign Ukrainian land.
Meanwhile, the Russian President rejected European politicians’ claims about Moscow’s plans to attack Europe, saying that they are “whipping up hysteria” and “instilling fears” about a potential war with Russia.
“I have repeatedly stated: this is a lie, nonsense, pure nonsense about some imaginary Russian threat to European countries. But this is being done quite deliberately,” Putin said.
