Russian President Vladimir Putin used his tightly staged annual question-and-answer session in Moscow to accuse Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of refusing to negotiate over territory, underlining Moscow’s hardline stance as international efforts to end the war intensify.
Speaking on Friday at the “Results of the Year” forum, Putin addressed questions from millions of Russians on issues ranging from domestic affairs to the ongoing conflict with Ukraine. His remarks once again highlighted Russia’s maximalist position nearly four years after it launched its full-scale invasion.
Putin: Ukraine Won’t Talk Territory
According to Putin, the core obstacle to peace talks remains Ukraine’s unwillingness to discuss territorial concessions. He claimed Zelenskyy has made it clear that Kyiv is not prepared to negotiate land issues.
“We know from Zelenskyy’s own statements that he is not ready to talk about territory,” Putin said during the event at Moscow’s Gostiny Dvor exhibition hall. While Zelenskyy has publicly ruled out giving up land, Ukraine’s constitution also explicitly prohibits the ceding of territory.
Putin reiterated Russia’s demands that Ukraine formally relinquish four regions partially occupied by Russian forces, in addition to Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014. He also repeated calls for Ukrainian troops to withdraw from areas of eastern Ukraine still under Kyiv’s control—conditions Ukraine has consistently rejected.
Battlefield Confidence from Moscow
Putin projected confidence in Russia’s military position, claiming Russian forces have seized the “strategic initiative” and would continue to advance before the end of the year. Western military assessments indicate that Russian troops have made incremental but steady gains in recent months, capturing small areas of territory daily throughout 2025.
Despite these advances, the fighting in eastern Ukraine, particularly in the Donetsk region, remains grinding and costly for both sides.
Dispute Over Frozen Russian Assets
The Russian president also criticised Western plans to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine, describing the move as outright “robbery.” He warned that Moscow would pursue legal challenges, insisting the funds would eventually have to be returned.
“Whatever they took, they will have to give it back someday,” Putin said, adding that Russia would seek justice in courts he claimed were independent of political pressure.
Earlier on Friday, European Union leaders agreed to provide Ukraine with a €90 billion ($105 billion) loan to support its military and economy over the next two years. The EU opted to raise funds through borrowing rather than directly using frozen Russian sovereign assets, following concerns raised by several member states.
Peace Efforts Still Stalled
Putin’s comments come at a sensitive moment, as US President Donald Trump has launched renewed diplomatic efforts to broker an end to the conflict. However, negotiations remain deadlocked due to sharply opposing demands from Moscow and Kyiv.
Western officials closely monitored Putin’s remarks for clues about how he intends to frame the war for the Russian public. The annual Q&A, held in various formats since 2001, drew around three million questions this year, filtered using artificial intelligence to identify key themes.
According to US estimates, the war has resulted in more than two million casualties combined, although neither Russia nor Ukraine releases verified figures. As diplomacy struggles to gain traction, the question of territory continues to stand as the central barrier to any potential peace deal.