Putin States That There Will Be No Peace In Ukraine Until His Goals Are Met

After nearly two years of war that has escalated tensions between Moscow and the West, Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated that there won’t be peace in Ukraine until the Kremlin achieves its objectives.

Speaking at a year-end press conference that provided him with a chance to solidify his hold on power, Mr. Putin revealed some unique information about what Moscow refers to as its “special military operation.”

He questioned the need for a second round of activation of reservists to fight in Ukraine — an extremely controversial move. Approximately 617,000 Russian soldiers, he claimed, are there, of which about 244,000 are called up to fight alongside elite military units.

Repeating a statement from the Kremlin often used, Mr. Putin stated, “There will be peace when we will achieve our goals.”

As he entered the central Moscow auditorium, Mr. Putin, who has ruled for over 24 years, was met with cheers. Last week, he declared that he is seeking reelection.

Last year, when his forces were unable to seize Kiev and the Ukrainian army was regaining ground in the east and south of the nation, Putin did not make his customary press conference.

However, with reports of splitting Western support for Kyiv, a stalling counter-offensive, and the need to appeal for more US aid, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky decided to address the media once more. Despite the fact that the session is extensively staged and more about spectacle than examination, he nevertheless chose to address the media.

This year, in addition to questions from journalists, regular people may also phone in their queries, which Russians have been doing for the past two weeks.

Since the start of the conflict in Ukraine, Mr. Putin has interacted with international media very infrequently. This will be the first time he is subjected to a series of questions from Western journalists.

Concerns about Ukraine and a potential new wave of mobilization raised by some Russians were brought up during the opening questions of the news conference.

Mr. Putin stated that since 1,500 men are joining the army every day, “there is no need” for mobilization at this time. According to him, 486,000 servicemen have inked contracts with the Russian military as of Wednesday night.

Some independent Russian media expressed skepticism towards Mr. Putin’s comments on a new round of mobilization, pointing out that he had previously pledged not to draft reservists for Ukraine before reversing course and ordering a “partial” call-up.

He announced in September 2022, that many Russians were forced to flee the nation as a result.

He restated Moscow’s objectives in Ukraine, which are still to “de-Nazify, de-militarize, and maintain a neutral status” for the country. The day he ordered troops into its neighbor, he had laid out those vague goals.

The phrase “de-Nazification” alludes to Russia’s accusations—denounced by Kyiv and the West—that radical nationalist and neo-Nazi organizations have a significant influence on Ukraine’s administration.

Additionally, Mr. Putin has insisted that Ukraine maintain its neutrality and not enlist in NATO.

In 2021, Mr. Putin held his final press conference, following US alerts suggesting that Russia was about to launch an invasion of Ukraine. His yearly State of the Nation speech was postponed until February of this year.

Since then, as the confrontation has persisted and after Moscow imprisoned US journalist Evan Gershkovich when he was visiting Russia for a reporting assignment in March, ties between Russia and the US have reached all-time lows.