The Kremlin has repeated remarks by Russian President Vladimir Putin suggesting that the war in Ukraine is “almost over,” even as Ukrainian officials reject any suggestion of de-escalation.
The comments come amid ongoing diplomatic efforts led in part by Donald Trump to broker a potential peace agreement between the two sides. Speaking to reporters, Vladimir Putin said the war in Ukraine was “coming to an end,” describing the situation as nearing completion.
The Kremlin later reinforced this position, with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov saying that ongoing diplomatic groundwork involving Ukraine, Russia, and the United States could support a future peace process. Peskov said the accumulated efforts in negotiations suggest “the completion is indeed approaching,” although he did not provide a timeline.
He added that Russia would be open to further U.S.-led mediation efforts and that Putin could meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy once a formal peace framework is reached.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy pushed back strongly against Moscow’s claims, saying Russia has no intention of ending the war. “Russia has no intention of ending this war. And we are, unfortunately, preparing for new attacks,” Zelenskiy said.