Russian President Vladimir Putin said the war in Ukraine is winding down, criticizing Western support for Kyiv, as a US-brokered ceasefire was marked by mutual accusations of violations.
Putin spoke after telling soldiers at the scaled-down Victory Day parade in Moscow that they were fighting an 'aggressive force' in Ukraine, backed by all of NATO and describing his war goals as 'just'. The Russian leader has made the memory of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War II a central narrative of his 25-year rule and repeatedly invoked it to justify his Ukraine offensive.
When asked about Western military aid to Ukraine, Putin said: 'They started ratcheting up the confrontation with Russia, which continues to this day.' He added that the war is 'heading to an end but it's still a serious matter.'
Putin also stated that he is ready to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a third country only once all conditions for a potential peace agreement are settled.
The ceasefire, announced by US President Donald Trump, was marked by continued drone activity and civilian casualties on both sides, with Moscow and Kyiv trading accusations of violations.
The parade was vastly smaller compared to previous years, with no military hardware on display for the first time in nearly two decades and only a handful of foreign dignitaries in attendance.
