Putin teases Ukraine peace deal during summit address

Russian President Vladimir Putin shared his belief that a peace deal could be brokered with Ukraine while speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum on Thursday in southeastern Russia. Putin said he saw the chance for peace, but alleged that Ukrainian attacks on civilians and non-military property would complicate bilateral peace talks. Putin characterized Ukraine’s strikes as state-sponsored terrorism, and accused Ukraine’s western allies of being complicit in international terrorism.

Russia and Ukraine have continued launching regular, retaliatory attacks on each other since Putin’s 2022 invasion, each accusing the other of intentionally targeting civilians. Putin reported that Russian contacts who remained in touch with Ukraine were working toward a peace deal, but the status of a possible deal remained unclear.

Other Putin comments:

• Russia remained in contact with the United States, and Putin advocated for the pair to restore full-scale diplomatic relations. President Donald Trump appears to be committed to positive and constructive engagement for a healthy relationship, Putin said.

• Russia did not plan to mobilize more troops to Ukraine, but rather planned to focus on bolstering air defense systems to protect oil refineries and civilians.

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto also addressed the forum and proposed a stronger Indo-Russo relationship, likening the countries to interlocking pieces. Russia has wheat, fertilizer, and advanced engineering, while Indonesia has palm oil, coffee, rubber, and a young workforce, he said. Subianto challenged Russia to work with Indonesia and double the countries’ trade.