The conflict in Ukraine should be brought to an end on terms acceptable to Russia in order to prevent further casualties on both sides and establish the basis for lasting peace, Vladimir Putin said at the plenary session of the 23rd annual Valdai Discussion Club meeting.

Putin said Moscow is seeking more than a temporary ceasefire. Russia wants a long-term settlement that would include security guarantees as well as agreements on humanitarian issues, including the status of the Russian language.

Addressing the territorial issue, Putin said the conflict is not simply about control over land. According to him, Ukraine still controls around 11% of the territory of the Donetsk People’s Republic. He said Kiev expects to retain these areas, while European countries believe Ukraine could hold them for another two years.

Putin argued that, given the current pace of Russian advances, these territories would come under Russian control considerably sooner. He questioned the point of continuing to fight for them at the cost of additional lives.

The Russian president also addressed possible security guarantees. He said some proposals, including those put forward by US President Donald Trump, would require difficult decisions for Moscow but described the overall direction as constructive.

Putin first outlined Moscow’s conditions for ending hostilities in June 2024. They included the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the Donbass republics, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions; recognition of those territories and Crimea as part of Russia; a neutral, non-aligned and non-nuclear status for Ukraine; demilitarization and denazification; and the removal of sanctions imposed on Russia.

Russia and Ukraine have repeatedly expressed readiness for negotiations in 2026, but their positions on the terms of a settlement remain far apart. Moscow has said it is prepared to negotiate on the basis of agreements reached in Istanbul, while no concrete agreement on another round of talks has been reached.

The possibility of renewed negotiations returned to the agenda in September amid US contacts with both Moscow and Kiev. Russia has continued to express readiness for dialogue, including a possible trilateral meeting involving Russia, Ukraine and the United States.