Angry and Unprecedented Comments from Putin Against Europe

Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed today, Friday, that the ball is in the court of Ukraine and the West in negotiations aimed at ending the war, while praising the progress his forces have made on the front lines during his annual press conference.

With a new winter approaching, Putin has repeatedly assured Russians that Moscow will seize the remaining areas of eastern Ukraine by force if diplomatic efforts fail.

Putin, 73 years old, stated during his traditional year-end address, broadcast live, that "the ball is entirely in the court of our Western adversaries, the leaders of the Kyiv regime and the European sponsors primarily," affirming that Moscow is ready "to negotiate and end the conflict peacefully."

However, he accused the West of "deception" by continuing to expand the ranks of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), promising that his country will not attack other countries "if you treat us with respect and consider our interests."

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, at a press conference in Warsaw with his Polish counterpart Karol Nawrocki, said: "Without Ukraine's independence, our state, Moscow will inevitably move here (Poland) and deep into Europe."

The Russian military operation in Ukraine began in February 2022 and has become the worst conflict Europe has witnessed since World War II, causing the deaths of at least tens of thousands on both sides.

Extensive Western sanctions were imposed on Russia, accompanied by an unprecedented security crackdown on the opposition inside the country since the Soviet era.

Putin, who has regularly held year-end conferences since taking power, said: "Our forces are advancing along the entire contact line... and the enemy is retreating in all directions."

He confirmed during the tightly controlled event, broadcast live on giant screens across Russia, "I am convinced that we will witness more successes before the end of the year."

On the occasion of the Russian president's annual conference, tight security measures were taken around the Kremlin and Red Square in Moscow, and movement was restricted in some areas. Dozens of police and security vehicles were deployed in the streets.

Putin's conference came at a time when the European Union is struggling to help Kyiv avoid an agreement pressured by the United States that was considered a submission to Moscow, while the Kremlin seeks to exclude Europe from the negotiations.

Putin escalated his tone this week, describing European Union leaders as "pigs" and pledging to take control of the remaining Ukrainian territories that Russia declared annexed "by military means" if talks fail.

He told officials at the Ministry of Defense that "the objectives of the special military operation will certainly be achieved," using the official name he gave to the operation in Ukraine.

In his Friday speech, he warned of "severe" consequences if the European Union proceeds with the proposal to use frozen Russian assets in Europe to finance Ukraine's defense.

He added that moving forward with this plan would be an "act of robbery." He said, "But why can't they proceed with this robbery? Because the consequences could be severe for the thieves."

He said, "We do not consider ourselves responsible for the deaths because we did not start this war," attributing responsibility for the conflict to the Ukrainian authorities.

During his conference, Putin takes questions from the press and calls from ordinary people across Russia, which spans 12 different time zones across its vast territory.

The Kremlin indicated it received about three million questions from citizens.