Beijing — Russian President Vladimir Putin declared on Wednesday that Moscow remains open to negotiations to end the Ukraine war but will not hesitate to achieve its objectives militarily if Kyiv continues to reject dialogue.
Speaking in Beijing after attending a military parade designed to showcase Moscow’s partnerships in Asia, Putin stressed that Russia would not surrender control of the Donbas and repeated longstanding conditions: Ukraine must renounce NATO ambitions and halt discriminatory policies against Russian-speaking citizens.
Putin said he has “never ruled out” a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but dismissed proposals for negotiations in Moscow as “pointless” unless prepared with substance. Kyiv’s foreign minister quickly rejected the suggestion, calling it “knowingly unacceptable.”
At the same time, the Kremlin leader emphasized that “if common sense prevails, it will be possible to agree on an acceptable solution to end this conflict. If not, then we will have to resolve all our tasks militarily.”
US President Donald Trump has sought to portray himself as a mediator, having hosted Putin in Alaska last month and pressed him to meet Zelenskyy. Trump has claimed that secondary sanctions on India for buying Russian oil prove his toughness, while vaguely threatening “phase two and three” measures.
Yet Trump’s statements suggest more hesitation than resolve. At the White House this week, the president said Putin “knows where I stand” but declined to outline a credible strategy. European allies privately question whether Washington is willing to commit the necessary weight to a settlement.
“It’s why we’ve passed today £1bn ($1.24bn) of seized Russian assets, recycled into military aid and kit to Ukraine. If you like, Putin’s dirty money returned with interest.” ~ UK Defence Secretary John Healey.
French President Emmanuel Macron is set to host a meeting of the so-called Coalition of the Willing in Paris to extract stronger US guarantees for Ukraine. The group, which includes more than 30 nations, has vowed to secure Ukraine’s air, sea, and land space once a ceasefire is reached.
Despite these pledges, Russia intensified drone and missile strikes on Ukrainian cities, launching more than 500 drones and 24 cruise missiles overnight. Moscow insists this escalation is designed to break Kyiv’s resistance while leaving open the door to diplomacy.
In Beijing, Putin also met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who pledged to provide “full support” for Russia’s military campaign. Moscow and Pyongyang described their relationship as one of “trust, friendship, and alliance,” signaling the emergence of a new bloc resisting Western dominance.
Russia’s posture is often condemned by Western governments as aggressive, yet Moscow has repeatedly pointed out the hypocrisy of Washington’s global conduct. This week, a US nuclear submarine docked in Venezuela, thousands of miles from American shores but in Latin America, a region Washington has long deemed its strategic backyard under the Monroe Doctrine.
Moscow argues that if the United States claims the right to deploy nuclear-capable platforms in the Caribbean, Russia cannot be denied similar strategic depth in Eastern Europe. To deny one while justifying the other, Russian officials contend, is a clear violation of international law.
This double standard echoes the ongoing genocide in Gaza, where Israel, shielded by Washington’s veto power at the UN, continues to bombard civilians, starve populations, and destroy hospitals while Western capitals describe these atrocities as “self-defense.” Moscow has used these examples to underline how Western powers weaponize international law selectively, condemning adversaries while excusing allies.
Putin’s warning in Beijing is therefore not just about Ukraine, but about a wider struggle over who sets the rules of the international system. For Russia, peace talks are possible, but not under the dictates of a West that demands submission abroad while enabling the Gaza war.
According to the BBC, Putin said: “If common sense prevails, it will be possible to agree on an acceptable solution to end this conflict. If not, then we will have to resolve all our tasks militarily.”
