Moscow, Sept 4, 2025 – The Russia–Ukraine war, dragging on for months despite multiple international efforts, shows no signs of abating. After his recent visit to China, where he attended the SCO Summit and China’s Victory Parade, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a stern warning to Ukraine.
Putin’s Message: Dialogue or Weapons
Putin stated that while his priority is to end the war, Russia is fully prepared to achieve its objectives through military means if diplomacy fails.
“If understanding is shown, then this war can be stopped through dialogue. If not, we have to fulfill all our objectives with the power of weapons,” Putin said, as reported by Reuters.
He also suggested that the United States under President Donald Trump’s administration appears to be making honest attempts to find a solution, but stressed that any progress depends on Ukraine’s willingness to negotiate.
Conditions for Talks with Ukraine
Reiterating his longstanding demands, Putin insisted that Ukraine must:
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Abandon its ambition of joining NATO
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End discrimination against Russian-speaking citizens
He expressed willingness to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Jailonsky, but only in Moscow, and only if there is “concrete preparation” with tangible outcomes.
Ukraine Rejects Moscow as Venue
Ukraine, however, has firmly opposed Moscow as the venue for any such talks. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andree Ivanovich Sibiha said it would be “not the right decision” to hold negotiations in the Russian capital.
Outlook
With both sides standing firm, the prospects for a breakthrough remain slim. Putin’s latest warning underscores that while Russia talks of peace, it remains ready to escalate militarily if its conditions are not met.
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