Image Credits: Image Title: Putin Says Russia-Ukraine War May Be Approaching Its End. Source: (chatgpt.com) Date: May 2026. Attribution: This image was created using AI-generated imagery (chatgpt.com) by Open Chronicle and does not depict a real-world scene.
By Open Chronicle with agencies
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Saturday that he believes the war between Russia and Ukraine may be nearing its conclusion, raising the possibility of renewed diplomatic efforts after more than four years of conflict.
“I think that the matter is coming to an end,” Putin told reporters at the Kremlin following Russia’s Victory Day commemorations in Moscow.
The remarks came only hours after Putin delivered a more defiant speech during the annual May 9 military parade on Red Square, where he vowed that Russia would achieve its objectives in Ukraine.
Putin Signals Openness to Security Talks
Putin also said he would be prepared to discuss a new European security framework and named former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder as his preferred interlocutor for future negotiations.
The Kremlin leader once again blamed Western governments for the origins of the war, arguing that NATO expansion after the collapse of the Soviet Union contributed directly to the crisis.
According to Putin, Western leaders had assured Moscow after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 that NATO would not expand eastward, a promise Russia says was later broken.
He also accused Western powers of attempting to pull Ukraine into the political and economic orbit of the European Union.
Most Restrained Victory Day Parade in Years
This year’s Victory Day parade was notably more restrained than previous editions.
Instead of displaying large numbers of intercontinental ballistic missiles, tanks, and advanced missile systems across Red Square, organizers relied heavily on giant video screens showing footage of Russian military hardware in action.
The annual ceremony commemorates the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany during World War II and honors the estimated 27 million Soviet citizens who died during the conflict.
Russian troops have now been fighting in Ukraine for longer than Soviet forces fought in what Russia calls the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945.
Ceasefire and Prisoner Exchange
The latest comments come amid renewed diplomatic activity involving the United States.
Donald Trump announced Friday that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to a temporary three-day ceasefire running from Saturday to Monday.
The agreement also includes a major prisoner exchange involving 1,000 detainees from each side.
Trump called the war “the worst thing since World War Two in terms of life,” estimating that roughly 25,000 young soldiers are dying every month.
He said he hoped the temporary ceasefire could eventually evolve into a longer and more permanent halt to hostilities.
As of Saturday, neither Moscow nor Kyiv had reported major violations of the truce.
War Continues to Shape Europe
Despite the diplomatic signals, the war remains Europe’s largest military conflict since World War II.
Russian forces currently control just under one-fifth of Ukrainian territory, although Moscow has been unable to fully capture the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine.
The fighting has killed hundreds of thousands of people, devastated large parts of Ukraine, and severely damaged relations between Russia and Western nations.
European leaders continue to support Kyiv with military aid, intelligence, and financial assistance, while Russia accuses NATO countries of prolonging the war.
Putin also addressed the possibility of direct talks with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, saying such a meeting would only be possible after a lasting peace agreement had already been reached.
Meanwhile, European officials continue debating what a future continental security architecture might look like if the conflict eventually comes to an end.