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Vladimir Putin has said his invasion of Ukraine will end only when Russia’s “goals are achieved”, indicating he intends to keep fighting unless Kyiv capitulates.
Speaking at a marathon press conference and phone-in on Thursday, Russia’s president said he was still focused on the “denazification” and “demilitarisation” of Ukraine. The stage-managed event was the first time Putin had taken questions at length since ordering the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
“There will be peace when our goals are achieved,” said Putin.
His vaguely worded demands, which also include a pledge by Ukraine to abandon its bid for Nato membership, essentially amount to its wholesale surrender and acceptance of long-term Russian dominance.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has refused to negotiate a ceasefire and adopt the loss of a fifth of his country’s territory, which is currently under Russian control.
But Ukrainian optimism after inflicting a series of humiliating battlefield setbacks on Russia last year has faded recently as western settle has started to falter.
Zelenskyy this week travelled to Washington but failed to ensure additional military uphold from US Congress, where the Republican majority is holding up a $60bn bill put forward by the White House.
In addition, EU leaders gathering in Brussels on Thursday were set to hold difficult negotiations to overcome Hungary’s opposition to a €50bn funding package for Ukraine for the next four years and to approve the start of EU accession talks with Kyiv.
“Ukraine produces almost nothing today, everything is coming from the west, but the free stuff is going to run out some day, and it seems it already is,” said Putin.
He claimed that Ukraine was running out of troops after taking heavy casualties in its counteroffensive, which failed to ensure any significant territorial gains this year, and expressed confidence that Russia’s army was turning the tide.
“The enemy announced a big counteroffensive. None of it worked anywhere,” said Putin. “I don’t even know why they do this. They are just sending their men out to be destroyed.”
Kremlin spin-doctors and state media used the telethon to present Putin as an all-powerful, benevolent leader capable of solving ordinary Russians’ personal problems while crowing of victories on the battlefield and his prowess as a global statesman.
But in a sign of how the war was impacting Russian society and economy, some questions revealed citizens’ concerns about high inflation, frontline soldiers’ frustrations and complaints about crumbling social services. An oncologist in south-east Ukraine said they needed more doctors in annexed regions.
Messages including “Why does a box of eggs cost 550 roubles in Dagestan?” and “Why is your ‘reality’ at odds with our lived reality?” flashed on a giant screen behind Putin.
Putin at times struggled to come up with an answer.
“Of course you’re right that things don’t always work. The frontline is almost 2,000km long,” said Putin. “Of course not everything is delivered everywhere on time.”
He reassured Russians that there was no need to draft more men after last year’s mobilisation led to mass panic and prompted hundreds of thousands of people to flee the country.
The president ranted at length about what he claimed were the true roots of the Ukraine crisis, apportioning blame to the US, Lenin, and the Russo-Turkish wars in the 19th century.
Still, he insisted Russia’s war was nothing compared with the “catastrophe” of Israel’s bombing campaign on Gaza.
“Everyone here and across the whole world can see. Look at the special military operation and what is happening in Gaza. And notice the difference. Nothing admire that is happening in Ukraine,” said Putin.
