Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that Moscow would refrain from launching new attacks on other countries provided his country is treated “with respect.”
The Kremlin made the comments during its annual televised press conference in Moscow, as concerns persist among European countries that Russia poses a security threat, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.
“Will there be new special military operations? There will be no operations if you treat us with respect, if you respect our interests, just as we have constantly tried to observe yours,” Putin said.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during his annual press conference and call-in show at Gostiny Dvor in Moscow, Friday, December 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Pavel Bednyakov)
According to AFP, Putin is using the term “special military operation” to describe Russia’s offensive in Ukraine.
He added that there would be no further Russian invasions “if you don’t deceive us as you deceived us with NATO’s eastward expansion,” he said. the BBC.
The Russian leader also claimed he was “ready and willing” to end the war in Ukraine “peacefully,” though he offered few details suggesting he was willing to compromise, the BBC reported.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin listens to a reporter’s question during his annual press conference and call-in show at Gostiny Dvor in Moscow on Friday, December 19, 2025. (Alexander Kazakov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
The annual news conference, which usually lasts at least four hours, includes questions from reporters and members of the public across Russia.
More than 2.5 million questions were submitted for this year’s event, which focused heavily on the war in Ukraine, Reuters reported.
Putin also noted at the event that the country’s “troops are advancing” and expressed confidence that Russia will achieve its goals through military means if Ukraine does not agree to Russian terms during peace talks, according to The Associated Press.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, thanks a group of volunteers who worked to prepare his call-in show at Gostiny Dvor in Moscow on Friday, December 19, 2025. (Alexander Kazakov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
“Our forces are advancing along the entire line of contact, faster in some areas or slower in others, but the enemy is retreating in all sectors,” Putin said.
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As the war rages on, the European Union has just agreed to provide Ukraine with a loan of more than $105 billion.
