Russian President Vladimir Putin has publicly stated that Russia would refrain from future "special military operations," like the invasion of Ukraine, if the West treats Moscow with "respect" and recognizes its security interests.
Putin made the remarks on Friday during his annual televised "Direct Line" call-in program, a Kremlin-organized broadcast in which he responded to questions from foreign and domestic journalists about the war and general questions about the state of Russia. When asked about prospects for future military aggression, Putin said there would be "no new special military operations if the West treats us with respect."
The statement comes as the war in Ukraine enters its fourth year and as global diplomatic efforts continue to seek a negotiated end to the conflict that began with Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. Putin clarified what he meant by respect, stating the West can't "cheat us as you cheated us with Nato's eastward expansion."
According to the Russian leader, NATO allegedly promised Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev that it would not expand eastward in 1990, shortly before the dissolution of the Soviet Union, an allegation Gorbachev denied before his death in 2022. He also claimed to be "ready and willing" to end the war "peacefully" as long as Ukrainian forces leave certain areas Russia is occupying and control of the eastern Donbas region.
The Russian president also added the condition that new elections be held in Ukraine and that Kyiv must stop attempting to join NATO, a key concern that he cited as a motive when the invasion began nearly 4 years ago.
In his remarks, Putin called warnings of a potential Russian attack on European NATO members "nonsense," placing blame on Western powers for what he portrays as a conflict forced upon Russia. At another event the same day, he reiterated that "the ball is in the hands of our Western opponents, primarily the leaders of the Kyiv regime, and in this case, first and foremost, their European sponsors," to advance peace talks, while also asserting that Russian troops are advancing on the battlefield.
Meanwhile, Western officials continue to work on frameworks for a ceasefire or diplomatic settlement that would include security guarantees for Ukraine, a key sticking point for Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has reiterated that any peace must be negotiated, not imposed, and that demands for sovereignty and territorial integrity remain non-negotiable. The Russian president's remarks come days after reportedly signaling to U.S. officials that Moscow is open to Ukraine joining the European Union.
