Putin Says Russia-Ukraine War May Be Coming to an End

Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated that the war with Ukraine may be coming to an end. Speaking to reporters after Victory Day events in Moscow on May 9, 2026, Putin said he was ready to hold direct talks with his Ukrainian counterpart in Moscow or a neutral country. Putin added that he would be willing to meet only after the terms of a peace agreement had already been settled.

"I think that the matter is coming to an end," Putin told reporters of the Russia-Ukraine war. He described it as Europe's deadliest conflict since World War II. The Russian leader said this should be the final point, not the negotiations themselves.

He also expressed willingness to negotiate new security arrangements with Europe and named Germany's former Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder as his preferred negotiating partner. His comments were made as Russia and Ukraine observe a short three-day United States-backed ceasefire. The two sides are continuing prisoner-swap discussions.

However, broader peace talks remain stalled. Ukrainian officials said Russian attacks left at least three people dead on Sunday. They reported close to 150 combat engagements on the front lines in the previous 24 hours.

The two sides continue to carry out attacks against each other. The remarks reflect mounting pressure on both sides after more than four years of war. The conflict has devastated parts of Ukraine and strained Russia's economy.

Western-led sanctions have also impacted Russia's economy. Russia has accused the West of expanding the NATO security alliance to encircle it. Putin has given this as one justification for Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

He framed the NATO expansion as a "matter of life and death" for Russia. Asked if Western military support for Ukraine had gone too far, Putin said the West started ratcheting up the confrontation with Russia. He added that Western countries had spent months waiting for Russia to suffer a crushing defeat and for its statehood to collapse.

"It didn't work out," Putin said. "

the Ceasefire The three-day ceasefire was publicly backed by the United States on Friday. It is part of renewed efforts to push both sides toward at least temporary halts in fighting and humanitarian agreements.

A longer-term deal has proved elusive. Russia has insisted on taking over the entire Donbas region and has opposed Ukraine's entry into NATO. Ukraine has refused to concede any territory and has demanded that security guarantees be part of any deal.

The war has killed tens of thousands of people on both sides and left swathes of eastern Ukraine in ruins. While Russia controls nearly one-fifth of Ukrainian territory, it has struggled to fully capture the eastern Donbas region. Ukraine's counteroffensives have failed to reclaim major occupied areas.

" — Putin (Al Jazeera) Moscow's relations with Europe are worse than at any time since the depths of the Cold War. Putin also blamed the West for prolonging the fighting through military support to Kyiv.