Putin insults European politicians, calls them 'pigs' - Reuters
Photo: Vladimir Putin, Russian president (Getty Images)
The Russian president has again stated that he intends to expand control over Ukrainian territory if negotiations based on a US proposal to end the war are rejected, according to Reuters.
Russia's threats and Putin's stance
At an annual meeting of the Russian Ministry of Defence, President Vladimir Putin reiterated that Moscow was advancing along all fronts and would pursue its objectives either through diplomacy or by military means. He indicated that if the opposing side and its foreign backers rejected substantive negotiations, Russia would seek to achieve its goals through force.
"If the opposing side and their foreign patrons refuse to engage in substantive discussions, Russia will achieve the liberation of its historical lands by military means," Putin said.
Russia claims to control roughly 19% of Ukraine’s territory, including Crimea, parts of the Donbas, and significant areas of the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions. Ukraine and most of the international community continue to regard these territories as an integral part of Ukraine.
War financing and plans for 2026
At the same time, Russia’s defence minister said that military spending had reached 5.1% of GDP in 2025, adding that the objective for 2026 was to accelerate the pace of offensive operations.
In response, European leaders have reaffirmed their support for Ukraine and rejected any territorial concessions to Moscow, stressing that aggression must not be rewarded.
Accusations against Europe
Putin also lashed out at European politicians, accusing them of artificially fuelling hysteria about a so-called Russian threat and hinting at the possibility of future strikes against NATO countries.
European leaders, for their part, point to what they describe as Russia’s lack of genuine intent to engage in constructive negotiations and warn of the risk of further escalation in 2026.
Earlier, Putin signalled that the coming year would be treated as a continued period of war, prompting calls in Ukraine for the United States to take this stance into account and respond accordingly.
Russian military officials have also renewed claims of having captured Kupiansk in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, despite Ukrainian authorities maintaining that most of the city remains under the control of Ukraine’s defence forces.
