Russian President Vladimir Putin has said the war in Ukraine could be resolved through negotiations “if common sense prevails,” but warned Moscow is prepared to pursue its objectives militarily if diplomacy fails.
Speaking in Beijing at the end of his state visit to China, Putin expressed cautious optimism, pointing to what he described as “sincere efforts” by U.S. President Donald Trump to mediate peace in Europe’s largest conflict since World War II.
“It seems to me that if common sense prevails, it will be possible to agree on an acceptable solution to end this conflict,” Putin told reporters. “We can see the mood of the current U.S. administration under President Trump, and their sincere desire to find a solution. I think there is a certain light at the end of the tunnel. Let’s see how the situation develops. If not, then we will have to resolve all the tasks before us by force of arms.”
The Russian leader, however, reiterated his core demands — preventing Ukraine from joining NATO, addressing alleged discrimination against Russian speakers, and securing control of the Donbas region.
Putin also signaled readiness to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Moscow, though he questioned the usefulness of such a meeting. He repeated his claim that Zelenskiy’s presidency is illegitimate because elections have been postponed under martial law, a position Kyiv rejects as unworkable during wartime.
Zelenskiy has continued to call for direct talks with Putin while urging Washington to impose tougher sanctions if Moscow resists. Trump, who has sought to cast himself as a mediator, has expressed interest in arranging a meeting between the two leaders but has yet to announce new sanctions.
Putin maintained he has “never ruled out” the possibility of talks with Zelenskiy but said any engagement must be carefully prepared to achieve “tangible results.”
