Putin threatens military force if diplomacy fails in Ukraine

• Putin says Russia will use military means if talks collapse, claiming gains across fronts.
• Kremlin rejects any deployment of European forces in Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that Moscow would resort to military force to reclaim what he called Russia’s “historical lands” if diplomatic efforts fail, asserting that Russian forces have made progress across all combat fronts in Ukraine in recent months.

Military option emphasized

Speaking in a public address, Putin described Western calls to prepare for a broader war with Russia as “hysteria”. He claimed that Russian troops had “liberated more than 300 cities and towns during 2025”, reaffirming Moscow’s determination to achieve the objectives of what it calls its “special military operation” in Ukraine.

Putin said Russia was prepared to expand demilitarized zones and accused NATO of directly backing Kyiv. “We know well that powerful NATO countries stand behind Ukraine, supplying weapons and military equipment”, he said.

He added that NATO continues to provide intelligence and advisers while modernizing its offensive capabilities, including the development and deployment of new weapons systems, “including militarization of space”.

Weapons development

Putin said Russia was accelerating the development of its armed forces, noting that new submarines and missile systems would soon be added to its arsenal. “We are strengthening our naval fleet and have produced new submarines, including those capable of carrying missiles”, he said, adding that new hypersonic missiles would be introduced shortly.

Kremlin rejects foreign troops

Separately, the Kremlin reiterated its opposition to any deployment of European forces in Ukraine, following media reports that a United States-brokered peace proposal could include a European-led force.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia’s position was “well known, consistent, and clear”, stressing that Moscow has repeatedly rejected the idea of foreign troop deployments.

Peskov also said it was unlikely that US special envoy Steve Witkoff would visit Moscow this week, adding that Russia expects Washington to brief it on talks with Ukraine when appropriate.

Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov accused Europe and Kyiv of seeking to prolong the conflict in hopes of weakening Russia. He said Moscow places particular emphasis on developing its strategic nuclear forces, describing them as central to deterrence against what he called “aggression”.