Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed that the war in Ukraine has made Russia “much stronger” and denied that the fall of his key ally Bashar al-Assad in Syria had hurt Moscow’s standing. In a marathon year-end press conference and television call-in event, Putin projected confidence at home and abroad while repeating his hardline stance on Ukraine.
Putin said he was ready to meet US President Donald Trump and discuss peace proposals to end the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, but refused to back down on Russia’s claims to Crimea and four Ukrainian regions. He boasted about Russia’s military progress in Ukraine, saying that troops were reclaiming territory by the square kilometre every day.
However, Putin also pointed to a maximalist position for Russia, involving Ukraine not joining NATO, adopting a neutral status, and undergoing some level of demilitarisation. He demanded that the West lift its sanctions against Russia as conditions for talks.
The US president-elect’s nominee for special envoy on Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, has said Trump had a vision for ending the war, but a viable path to a peace deal remains elusive. Putin showed no indication of backing down from his demands, which appear nonstarters for Ukraine.
Despite media reports suggesting frequent contact with Trump after he left office, Putin claimed not to have spoken with him in four years. He proposed a “missile duel” with the US in Ukraine, suggesting Russia’s new hypersonic missile could defeat any American missile defence system.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected the idea of such a duel and said Ukraine’s true guarantee was NATO membership. Putin also addressed sensitive developments that have tarnished Russia’s reputation, including the fall of Assad and an assassination attack in Moscow.
Recent polling has suggested growing fatigue with the invasion among some Russians, while the war economy is showing signs of strain. Putin acknowledged growing inflation but claimed the situation was stable and secure overall.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/dec/19/putin-claims-ukraine-war-has-made-russia-much-stronger-phone-in