Putin Warns Russia Will Seek Further Territorial Gains if Ukraine Talks Fail

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that Moscow will seek to expand its territorial gains in Ukraine if peace talks fail to meet the Kremlin’s demands. His remarks came as the United States intensifies diplomatic efforts to end nearly four years of war, amid sharply conflicting positions between Russia and Ukraine over territory and security guarantees.

Speaking to senior military officials, Putin said diplomacy remained his preferred path but made clear that military action would continue if negotiations stall.

Putin links diplomacy to battlefield outcomes

Addressing an annual meeting with Russia’s top military commanders on Wednesday, Putin said Moscow wanted to achieve its objectives by addressing what it calls the “root causes” of the conflict through negotiations. He added, however, that Russia would not hesitate to use force if talks fail.

“If the opposing side and its foreign patrons refuse to engage in substantive dialogue, Russia will achieve the liberation of its historical lands by military means,” Putin said. He was referring to Ukrainian territories seized by Russian forces, a move widely condemned by Western governments as a violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty.

Putin claimed Russian forces now hold the strategic initiative along the entire front line and said Moscow intends to expand a so-called security buffer zone along its border with Ukraine.

“Our troops are different now. They are battle-hardened,” he said, describing Russia’s armed forces as unmatched in current combat experience.

Military buildup and nuclear signaling

Putin used the address to highlight Russia’s growing military capabilities, including modernization of its nuclear arsenal. He pointed in particular to the Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile, which he said would officially enter combat duty this month.

Russia first tested a conventionally armed version of the missile in November 2024 in a strike on a Ukrainian industrial facility. Putin has repeatedly claimed the system is impossible to intercept, a statement Western military analysts have questioned.

At the same time, he dismissed claims by European officials that Russia is preparing to attack NATO countries, calling such warnings “lies and sheer nonsense.” He said those statements were driven by domestic political interests rather than public safety.

Deep divisions over peace terms

Putin’s comments came as Ukrainian, U.S., and European officials held several rounds of talks this week on a U.S.-drafted peace framework. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said after meeting U.S. envoys in Berlin that the document could be finalized within days before being presented to the Kremlin.

Russia has demanded international recognition of its control over Crimea, which it annexed illegally in 2014, as well as four other Ukrainian regions partially occupied since 2022. Moscow also insists Ukraine withdraw from areas Russian forces have not fully captured.

The Kremlin has further demanded that Ukraine abandon its bid to join NATO and warned it would consider any deployment of NATO troops in Ukraine as legitimate targets.

Zelenskyy has said Ukraine could consider dropping its NATO membership bid if it receives firm security guarantees from the United States and its allies, though he has stressed that NATO remains Kyiv’s preferred option. He has firmly rejected Russian demands that Ukrainian forces withdraw from territory still under Kyiv’s control.

Territory remains the core obstacle

Zelenskyy described the draft peace plan discussed in Berlin as “not perfect” but workable, saying progress had been made on potential security guarantees. However, he acknowledged that territorial control remains unresolved and rejected proposals that Ukraine cede parts of the eastern Donetsk region.

Putin, meanwhile, again praised U.S. President Donald Trump’s diplomatic push and echoed Trump’s claim that the war would not have started under his leadership. He criticized the previous U.S. administration and some European leaders, saying they had wrongly expected Russia’s collapse.

The Russian president added that dialogue with Europe may not be possible under current political leadership but said engagement would eventually become unavoidable.

Russian military outlines further advances

Defense Minister Andrei Belousov told the meeting that recent Russian gains in the Donetsk region could allow for rapid advances into remaining Ukrainian-held areas. He also said Russian forces were preparing operations in parts of the Zaporizhzhia region and neighboring Dnipropetrovsk.

“The key task for the next year is to preserve and accelerate the tempo of the offensive,” Belousov said.

He outlined plans to expand Russia’s use of drones, electronic warfare systems, and air defense capabilities as part of a broader military buildup.

Fighting and aerial attacks continue

Despite diplomatic efforts, fighting has continued across multiple fronts. Ukrainian officials said Russian glide bombs injured at least 26 people in and around Zaporizhzhia, damaging residential buildings, infrastructure, and an educational facility.

Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched at least 69 long-range drones overnight, with air defenses intercepting or jamming dozens. Russia’s Defense Ministry said it shot down 94 Ukrainian drones overnight.

In southern Russia’s Krasnodar region, officials reported two people injured and several homes damaged by drone strikes. In the Voronezh region, falling drone debris damaged a power line serving an infrastructure facility, causing a brief fire.