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On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his willingness to engage in talks with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump at any moment, adding a reflective note about the timing of Moscow’s military strategy. He lamented that the full-scale offensive had not been initiated sooner, hinting at a sense of missed opportunity.
As he prepares to return to the White House in January, Donald Trump has advocated for the commencement of negotiations, raising concerns in Kyiv. The prospect of peace talks has sparked fears that he might pressure Ukraine into agreeing to terms that heavily favour Moscow’s interests.
At his annual end-of-year news briefing, the 72-year-old commander declared that his troops were decisively in control across the battlefield. His comments coincided with reports from Kyiv, which stated that Russian assaults on northeastern Ukraine had resulted in three fatalities, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was in Brussels holding talks with European Union leaders.
Putin addressed the press with a sense of assurance but was reluctantly forced to acknowledge his uncertainty about when Russia might regain control of the sections of the Kursk region that have been under Kyiv’s control since August. These annual televised question-and-answer sessions, though largely scripted, offer a rare moment when Putin faces tough questions that put him on the defensive.
Putin spoke for just under four and a half hours. Asked about Trump’s overtures regarding a possible peace deal, Putin said he would welcome a meeting with the incoming Republican.
“I don’t know when I’m going to see him. He isn’t saying anything about it. I haven’t talked to him in more than four years. I am ready for it, of course. Any time,” Putin said.
“If we ever have a meeting with President-elect Trump, I am sure we’ll have a lot to talk about,” he said, adding that Russia was ready for “negotiations and compromises”.
Russia’s troops have been advancing in eastern Ukraine for months, with Putin repeatedly touting their prowess on the battlefield. But asked by a woman from the Kursk region when residents would be able to return to their homes there after thousands were evacuated from frontline areas during the Ukrainian assault, Putin said he could not name a date.
Read also: Putin Wants Long-Term Confrontation With Europe – NATO Chief
“We will absolutely kick them out. Absolutely. It can’t be any other way. But the question of a specific date, I’m sorry, I cannot say right now,” he said.
Putin was also pressed on the economic headwinds Russia faced — the fallout from a huge ramp-up in military spending and deep labour shortages caused by the conflict. He insisted that the situation was “stable, despite external threats”, citing low unemployment and industrial growth.
Asked about soaring inflation, Putin said that “inflation is a worrying signal”. Price rises for foods such as butter and meat were “unpleasant”, he conceded.
He acknowledged, too, that Western sanctions were a factor — while not of “key significance”. He hoped the central bank, expected to raise interest rates again Friday to cool inflation, would take a “balanced” decision, he added.
Putin appeared to repeat his threat to strike Kyiv with Russia’s new hypersonic ballistic missile, dubbed Oreshnik. Asked by a military journalist if the weapon had any flaws, Putin suggested a “hi-tech duel” between the West and Russia to test his claims that it is impervious to air defences.
