Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday flatly ruled out making any compromises with Ukraine, striking a defiant tone just days before U.S. and Russian officials are set to meet in Miami for talks aimed at ending Moscow’s nearly four-year war.
Putin delivered the remarks during his annual end-of-year press conference, a marathon event that stretched more than four and a half hours. Much of the questioning focused on Russia’s war in Ukraine, which the Kremlin continues to describe as a “special military operation.”
Throughout the session, Putin insisted that Russia bears no responsibility for the conflict, placing full blame on Ukraine and its Western backers. He repeated his long-standing argument that the “root causes” of the war must be addressed and claimed Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 was an act of self-defense.
“We do not consider ourselves responsible for the loss of life, because it was not us who started this war,” Putin said when questioned by NBC News.
Putin also preemptively rejected the notion that Russia could be blamed for scuttling peace efforts, including proposals associated with President Donald Trump. He argued that any failure to reach an agreement would be the responsibility of Ukraine, not Moscow.
“The issue lies entirely on the other side,” Putin said. “The ball is entirely in the court of our so-called Western adversaries, first and foremost the leaders of the Kyiv regime and, in this case especially, their European sponsors.” He added that Russia is “ready for negotiations and to settle the conflict by peaceful means,” while making clear that Moscow will not bend on its core demands.
The Russian leader claimed that his forces currently hold the military advantage in Ukraine, projecting confidence as fighting drags on. Independent assessments, including an analysis by the Institute for the Study of War, have disputed those claims, suggesting Putin has overstated Russia’s battlefield position.
Putin portrayed Ukraine as the primary obstacle to peace, despite repeated statements from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressing openness to a ceasefire under U.S. pressure. Zelensky has maintained, however, that decisions involving territory occupied by Russian forces must be addressed through direct negotiations between the two countries.
“So far we really do not see such readiness,” Putin said, dismissing Ukraine’s position.
Moscow has consistently demanded that Ukraine formally relinquish claims to territory seized by Russia, including the Crimea Peninsula, which Russia annexed following its first invasion of Ukraine in 2014, and parts of eastern Ukraine known as the Donbas. Putin reiterated that the United States should pressure Ukraine into accepting those losses as part of any settlement.
President Trump has publicly voiced growing frustration with Putin’s refusal to agree even to a limited ceasefire and has imposed some sanctions in response. At the same time, Trump has continued to push for a negotiated end to the conflict, tasking his top envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, with developing a multipoint framework to bring the war to a close.
U.S. officials are expected to sit down with Russian counterparts in Miami this weekend to review the latest draft proposal. That plan was negotiated with Ukrainian and European officials last week and is expected to serve as the basis for further discussions.
Putin’s uncompromising rhetoric, however, casts doubt on how much progress can be made. By rejecting concessions outright and shifting blame to Kyiv and its Western allies, the Russian leader signaled that Moscow intends to dictate terms rather than meet Ukraine halfway.
As U.S.-Russia talks approach, Putin’s remarks underscore the steep challenge facing American negotiators, even as Washington presses ahead with diplomatic efforts to end a war that has reshaped global politics and tested Western resolve.
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