Russian President Vladimir Putin warned today that Moscow will seek to extend its gains in Ukraine if Kyiv and its Western allies reject the Kremlin’s demands in peace talks. Speaking at an annual meeting with top military officers, Putin said Moscow will prefer to achieve its goals and eliminate the root causes of the conflict by diplomatic means.

 

He further said, Russia will take control of its historical lands by military means if Ukraine fails to sign the peace deal. Putin claimed that the Russian army has seized and is firmly holding the strategic initiative all along the front line. He warned that Moscow will move to expand a buffer security zone alongside the Russian border.

 

On the other hand, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed readiness to drop Ukraine’s bid to join NATO if the U.S. and other Western nations give Kyiv security guarantees similar to those offered to NATO members. However, Zelenskyy has rejected Moscow’s demands that it pull back its troops from other areas that Russia has not been able to take by force.