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Russian President Vladimir Putin said in St. Petersburg on Friday that US President Donald Trump has asked Russia to make some compromises to reach a peace agreement in Ukraine, but added that Moscow expects Kiev to show the same willingness.
" I think Kiev is not ready for compromises ," Putin told reporters.
He stressed that Russia has all the necessary resources to fulfill its military objectives in Ukraine, but added that Moscow also remains open to a peaceful resolution of the conflict.
" Russia has all the resources to fulfill its military objectives, and they are becoming increasingly stronger ," Putin declared.
According to him, Russian forces have recently taken control of about 2,440 square kilometers of territory in Ukraine, while more than 85 percent of the Donetsk region is already under Russian control.
Putin also acknowledged that Russia needs to further strengthen its air defense system, acknowledging that some Ukrainian drones manage to penetrate Russian territory.
" We need to strengthen our air defense system. Unfortunately, some Ukrainian drones manage to penetrate into Russia ," he said.
Speaking about the military balance between the two countries, the Russian president assessed that Ukraine lacks cruise missiles and other strategic weapons that, according to him, Russia possesses.
Putin also touched on the Russian hypersonic missile "Oreshnik", saying that it has not yet been used in real combat conditions against Ukraine, but has only been tested to analyze its effectiveness.
" We tested it to see the results and make decisions about the possible wider use of this system in the future ," he stated.
The Oreshnik, first used by Russia against Ukraine in 2024, is a missile with a range of over 5,000 kilometers and capable of carrying nuclear warheads. Putin has previously claimed that the missile cannot be intercepted, although Western experts have questioned this claim.
Commenting on the role of the European Union in the negotiation process, Putin said that the EU cannot act as a neutral mediator, but can make a contribution if it convinces Ukraine to accept compromises.
He also criticized efforts to transform the European Union into a military structure.
" We oppose the European Union becoming a military bloc. This raises concerns ," Putin said.
The Russian president also proposed former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder as a possible figure for mediation between Russia and Europe.
" Who else, if not Schröder, could be a mediator? " Putin asked.
He added that Schröder is not his personal friend, but a German statesman with his own convictions, ready to defend them, while emphasizing that Moscow does not intend to dictate to Europe who it should choose for dialogue with Russia.
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