President Putin declared that the Russian army is advancing on all fronts.
At his annual press conference, the Russian president asserted that Moscow was taking the initiative on all fronts, while Ukrainian forces were being forced into a passive position and retreating.
Stay firm on the prerequisites.
Also at his annual press conference on December 19, Russian President Vladimir Putin affirmed that Moscow's conditions for ending the conflict in Ukraine remain unchanged from the statement made in June 2024. This move shows no sign of compromise from the Kremlin, even as the US administration intensifies its efforts to find a peaceful solution.
According to Reuters, in his opening remarks at the "Results of the Year" event – the annual marathon press conference – President Putin clearly stated Russia's position. He said Moscow did not see any willingness from Ukraine to accept a peace agreement, despite "certain signals" that Kyiv wanted to engage in dialogue.
The only thing I want to say is that we have always maintained that Russia is ready and willing to end this conflict peacefully, based on the principles I outlined last June at the Russian Foreign Ministry, and by addressing the root causes of this crisis.
President Putin emphasized this point at a four-hour press conference held in Moscow.
Previously, in a speech 18 months ago (June 2024), the Russian leader demanded that Ukraine abandon its ambitions to join the NATO military alliance and completely withdraw its troops from the four territories that Russia claims to have annexed.
Assessing the battlefield situation
Referring to the situation on the ground, President Putin provided a detailed assessment, asserting that Russian troops are advancing along the entire front line while Ukrainian forces are retreating.
However, Ukraine rejects this assessment, arguing that Russia's advances are only localized and come at the cost of significant manpower. Kyiv asserts that its army is launching a strong counterattack in key areas such as Kupiansk in the northeast – which Russia claimed to have controlled last month.
The conflict is now in its fourth year and is at a sensitive stage. The administration of US President Donald Trump is pushing for a peace deal; however, Ukraine and its European allies fear the terms may favor Russia.
Moscow said it was awaiting details from Washington on how the peace proposals had been adjusted following consultations between the US, Ukraine, and Europe.
Europe is wary of Russia's frozen assets.
Also on December 19, a notable development from Europe was noted cautiously by Moscow. European Union (EU) leaders decided to borrow funds to finance Ukraine's defense for the next two years, instead of directly using frozen Russian public assets – a plan that had caused much controversy and division within the bloc.
Nevertheless, the EU stated that it reserves the right to use these Russian assets to repay the loan if Moscow fails to fulfill its future war reparations obligations to Ukraine.
The event attracted great attention.
The "Results of the Year" press conference is a traditional event that Putin has held in various forms since 2001. At this event, he answers a range of questions from macroeconomic issues and the cost of living to nuclear weapons.
The Kremlin said it received more than 2.6 million questions from citizens and journalists ahead of the event via online platforms and telephone. Notably, even though the Covid-19 pandemic has passed many years ago, strict health screening regulations were still applied to those attending the event in person, which included President Putin, who is 73 years old this year.
The protracted conflict is causing significant economic and human consequences for both sides. US officials estimate that casualties on both sides since fighting broke out in February 2022 have exceeded 2 million, although neither Russia nor Ukraine has released official figures.
