Putin made these statements during a meeting with senior officials from the Ministry of Defense in Moscow, using the Kremlin's terminology of a "special military operation" to refer to the offensive launched in February 2022.
Putin emphasized that, although Russia prefers the diplomatic route, it will not hesitate to resort to force if necessary. "We would prefer to achieve it and eliminate the root causes of the conflict through diplomacy," he said, but warned that "if the rival country and its foreign sponsors refuse to engage substantively, we will do so militarily".
The Russian leader's statements coincide with recent diplomatic talks. Ukraine praised the "progress" made in Berlin on the future security guarantees it seeks after meeting with envoys from former U.S. President Donald Trump. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky noted that "significant differences" remain regarding the territories Ukraine would have to cede to Russia.
Previously, an initial proposal from Washington, drafted without the involvement of European allies, would have involved Ukrainian withdrawal from the entire eastern region of Donetsk and de facto recognition by the United States of Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk as Russian territories. The content of the revised plan following the Berlin talks is still unclear.
The Kremlin, on its part, indicated that it was still awaiting information from the United States on the results of the negotiations in Berlin. Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesperson, stated: "We hope that as soon as they are ready, our American counterparts will inform us of the results of their work with the Ukrainians and Europeans."
It is important to remember that in September 2022, Russia claimed to have officially annexed the regions of Zaporizhia, Donetsk, Luhansk, and Kherson, despite not having total military control over them at that time. Putin's statements reinforce Moscow's stance that its territorial goals are unwavering, whether through diplomacy or military force.