Putin: Moscow Ready to Negotiate, Ball in Ukraine and West's Court to End the War

Russian President Vladimir Putin affirmed on Friday, in an annual speech he has consistently delivered at the end of the year since taking office, that the ball is in the court of Ukraine and the West to end the war.

With the arrival of a new winter, Putin has repeatedly told Russians in recent days that Moscow will seize the remaining areas of eastern Ukraine by force if diplomatic efforts fail.

The 73-year-old Putin said during his traditional year-end speech, broadcast live, that "the ball is entirely in the court of our Western adversaries, the leaders of the regime in Kyiv and the European sponsors supporting them primarily," emphasizing that Moscow is ready "to negotiate and end the conflict by peaceful means."

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

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

The West imposed broad sanctions on Russia, accompanied by an unprecedented security crackdown on opposition within the country since the Soviet era.

Putin, who has held an end-of-year conference since taking office, stated, "Our forces are advancing along the entire contact line... and the enemy is retreating in all directions."

During the tightly timed event broadcast live on giant screens across Russia, he said, "I am convinced that we will witness further successes before the end of the year."

Tightened Security Measures

Coinciding with the Russian president's annual conference, strict security measures were taken around the Kremlin and Red Square in Moscow, with movement restricted in some areas. Dozens of police vehicles were deployed on the streets, according to reporters from Agence France-Presse.

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

Putin escalated his tone this week, calling EU leaders "pigs" and pledging to control the remaining Ukrainian territories that Russia declared it would annex "by military means" if talks fail.

He explained to officials in 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.

During his Friday conference, 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 proceeding with this plan would be an "act of robbery." He said, "But why can't they go ahead with this robbery? Because the consequences could be severe for the thieves."

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

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

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

Moscow controls large parts of eastern Ukraine and demands Kyiv relinquish more territory as a condition to stop the war.

Since summer, Russia has been advancing rapidly on the ground, especially in the southern Zaporizhzhia region.

Fierce battles continue in Ukraine despite intensified separate talks conducted by the United States with both sides, while Moscow, which has the upper hand on the ground, insists on reaching an agreement before a ceasefire.

In November, the Russian army made its greatest advance in Ukraine in a year, according to analyses by Agence France-Presse based on data from the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War.

"Russia in a Stronger Negotiating Position"

Former U.S. President Donald Trump recently noted that Russia is in a stronger negotiating position, hinting that Kyiv must give up territory.

Europeans are concerned that Trump might push for a rushed agreement that would hand over much territory to Moscow.

During a visit to Cairo, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Friday condemned a European proposal to form a multinational force to oversee any potential peace agreement in Ukraine, calling it a "blatant" threat to Russia.

Putin noted during his conference that recent progress in Ukraine could push Kyiv to reach an agreement.

Washington and Moscow are pressuring the Ukrainian president to hold presidential elections, which Putin said Russia might halt its deep strikes in Ukraine on the day they are held.

Russian Economic Slowdown

Putin also sought to reassure about the slowdown in the Russian economy, which has focused primarily on defense industries for about four years.

He affirmed that the Russian economy is stable, comparing it to the slowing growth in Europe.

Since its invasion of Ukraine, Russia has been under severe sanctions and ongoing inflation. The economy is on the brink of recession with growth barely above zero.

Criticism of the military operation is banned in Russia, and Moscow has imposed heavy fines or prison sentences on critics. All of Putin's opponents are either in exile, imprisoned, or deceased.

During his press conference, journalist Kirill Paganov proposed to his girlfriend, who was watching him on television, and she accepted.

He attended the conference holding a sign that read "I want to get married" and proposed to his girlfriend live on air.

Putin did not respond to the journalist's invitation to attend the wedding nor to his question about the high cost of living in Russia.

He only said, "Kirill asked a question about the financial conditions of young families. It's true that the man is supposed to bring money to the family, so we will gather money to have enough for the wedding."