Moscow, October 23, 2026 – The Europe Today: Russian President Vladimir Putin has reaffirmed Moscow’s readiness to resume trilateral contacts involving Russia, Ukraine and the United States, stressing that negotiations should focus on establishing long-term security guarantees for both Russia and Ukraine following the conclusion of a peace agreement.
In an interview with Russian journalist Pavel Zarubin on October 22, Putin said any future negotiations should address the final terms of a peace settlement rather than merely suspending hostilities for a limited period.
Putin also supported the view that discussions on future security arrangements for Russia and Ukraine should be accompanied by broader talks on the overall European security architecture. He said the parties would assess how the situation develops in the coming days.
Addressing the territorial dispute, the Russian president described the regions claimed by Moscow as historically belonging to Russia. He argued that the residents of these territories had first voted for state independence and subsequently for reunification with the Russian Federation. On this basis, he rejected references to the developments as “territorial losses” for Ukraine.
Putin also criticised what he described as an anti-Russian campaign in European countries, saying that persistent claims about a Russian threat and preparations for a potential war with Russia amounted to “political schizophrenia.”
He maintained that Russia could not be defeated on the battlefield and that efforts to inflict a strategic defeat on the country were unrealistic. According to Putin, those seeking to weaken Russia would eventually have to recognise contemporary geopolitical realities and understand the benefits of maintaining friendly relations with Moscow.
The Russian president further asserted that European populations did not want a war with Russia, adding that Moscow neither sought nor was preparing for a military confrontation with Europe.
He criticised the Ukrainian leadership for, in his view, expecting the international community to provide extensive military assistance, including weapons, ammunition and equipment. Putin also accused some European countries of seeking confrontation with Russia to weaken it.
Commenting on Ukraine’s military mobilisation, Putin alleged that Ukrainian authorities were treating their citizens as expendable resources. He cited figures that he said indicated approximately 500,000 deserters and more than 300,000 criminal cases. These figures were presented as part of his remarks and were not independently verified in the interview summary.
On the history of the conflict, Putin said Russia had advocated a peaceful settlement from the outset. He referred to Moscow’s 2014 proposal to facilitate negotiations between Kyiv and southeastern regions of Ukraine, alleging that Ukrainian authorities instead used military force against civilians.
He also cited the Minsk agreements and said Russia had repeatedly sought an understanding with those in Ukraine who opposed the change of government in Kyiv in 2014.
Despite the ongoing hostilities, Putin reiterated that Moscow remained prepared to negotiate and seek solutions to the conflict, describing Russians and Ukrainians as closely connected peoples. He said an agreement was possible but insisted that Russia would achieve all the objectives of what Moscow calls its “special military operation.”
The Russian president’s remarks come amid continuing diplomatic efforts to explore a possible settlement to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. His emphasis on renewed trilateral contacts, post-war security arrangements and the wider European security framework signals Moscow’s stated willingness to continue discussions, while substantial disagreements over territory, security guarantees and the terms of a settlement remain unresolved.
