Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that Moscow is not seeking Ukraine’s unconditional surrender but wants Kyiv to recognize the “realities” on the ground, in remarks that signal a continued hardline stance amid ongoing hostilities.
Speaking at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin dismissed comparisons between Russia’s war in Ukraine and U.S. policy toward Iran, asserting that the two situations were “completely different.” His comments were reported by Russian state outlet RT.
“We are not seeking the surrender of Ukraine,” Putin said during a plenary session. “We insist on recognition of the realities that have developed on the ground.”
The Russian leader sidestepped a question about whether Moscow aims to advance beyond territories it claimed in the 2022 referendums. He reiterated his view that Russians and Ukrainians are “one people,” a notion he has frequently invoked to justify Russian actions since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
“In this sense, all of Ukraine is ours,” he said, while simultaneously insisting that Russia has never denied Ukraine’s right to sovereignty.
Putin did not rule out the possibility of pushing deeper into Ukrainian territory, including into the city of Sumy, near the Russian border.
“We don’t have the goal of taking Sumy, but in principle, I don’t rule it out,” he said.
Russian forces previously entered the Sumy region last year after what Moscow claims was a Ukrainian incursion into Russia’s Kursk region. Putin said Russian troops have since created a 10 to 12-kilometer-deep “buffer zone” in Sumy to repel future attacks.
Putin also cited battlefield figures, claiming the Ukrainian military is severely depleted, with only “47%” of its units fully staffed. He labeled last year’s Ukrainian operation in Kursk a “catastrophe,” alleging Ukraine lost 76,000 troops in the offensive—a figure that could not be independently verified.
Turning to the question of diplomacy, Putin raised doubts about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s legal authority to sign a peace agreement, citing the end of his presidential term and the postponement of elections due to martial law.
“Signature must come from legitimate authorities,” Putin said. “Otherwise, whoever comes after him will toss it to the dumpster. That’s not a way to conduct serious business.”
Zelensky, whose term officially ended in 2024, has argued that he remains in office under wartime constitutional provisions. The Ukrainian Constitution stipulates that presidential powers transfer to the parliament’s speaker if an election cannot be held, though the Ukrainian government contends that the state of martial law justifies the current arrangement.
Despite questioning Zelensky’s legitimacy, Putin left the door open to negotiations.
“If the Ukrainian state entrusts someone to negotiate on its behalf, suit yourself, let it be Zelensky,” he said. “The question is, who will sign the document?”
Zelensky has repeatedly stated his willingness to meet with Putin to discuss a resolution to the war, which has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions since 2022. But so far, no high-level talks have taken place between the two leaders.
