Russian President Vladimir Putin held a press conference where he announced Russia's conditions for a peaceful resolution in the war against Ukraine. The event, held outdoors together with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, showed Putin appearing physically weakened. He stated that Russia was ready for peace only under the terms set in 2024: Ukraine must withdraw from Donbas, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia and Luhansk regions, undergo full demilitarization, abandon claims for reparations, and drop international lawsuits against Russia.
President Zelensky responded by highlighting the need for a summit of leaders, emphasizing that the Putin regime should be replaced. Lukashenko, in turn, called for negotiations and announced the formation of a new special operations brigade in Belarus near the border with Ukraine.
Meanwhile, French General Thierry Burkhard warned that in five years, Europe may have to defend itself using nuclear weapons against potential Russian aggression. In Lithuania, an Iranian-made Shahed drone was recorded landing, but NATO has yet to respond.
In Ukrainian domestic politics, Minister Svyredenko backed a new candidate for the head of the Bureau of Economic Security, on the condition of passing a polygraph test. Meanwhile, German law enforcement searched the home of presidential advisor Shurma as part of a corruption investigation, uncovering new evidence.
In summary, the statements made by Putin repeat old demands without new radical messages. Experts believe Ukraine's resilient civil society remains key to continued western support and eventual restoration of territorial integrity.
