Speaking to journalists after the annual military parade marking the defeat of Nazi Germany, Putin struck a cautiously optimistic note on the war's trajectory. "I believe the conflict is nearing its end, but it is still a serious matter," Putin said on Saturday.
This year's Victory Day parade on Red Square was notably more modest than in previous years. For the first time in nearly two decades, no tanks or other heavy military equipment rolled through the square. Despite the scaled-back display, Putin addressed several hundred soldiers and drew direct parallels between Russia's current military campaign in Ukraine and the Soviet Union's fight against Nazi Germany in World War II.
Putin described today's adversary as "aggressive" forces "supported by all of NATO." He called the legacy of the Red Army an inspiration for Russian soldiers currently deployed in Ukraine. "I am deeply convinced that our cause is just," he said. "Victory was ours, and it always will be."
When asked which candidate he would favor for reopening dialogue with Europe, Putin responded: "Personally, I prefer the former Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Mr. Schröder."
The 82-year-old former SPD leader has long been regarded as a personal friend of Putin and continued working for Russian energy companies even after the war began. Schröder traveled to Moscow in March 2022 to discuss the Ukraine conflict directly with Putin.
Putin added that Europeans could choose their own representative, provided it is someone "they trust and who has not said unfriendly things about us." He also insisted that Russia has "never closed itself off from negotiations," placing blame on the other side for the breakdown in talks.
Putin said he would only be willing to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a third country once all conditions for a potential peace agreement had been settled.
Putin again criticized Western nations for backing Ukraine militarily. "They began to escalate the confrontation with Russia, which continues to this day," he said.
Before the Red Square celebrations, Putin hosted Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico at the Kremlin. Fico was the only head of government from an EU member state to travel to Moscow for the 81st anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany.
"I know there were some difficulties with your trip to Moscow. But what matters is that you are here," Putin told Fico. Slovakia continues to rely on Russian oil deliveries, unlike most other EU countries. Several European nations refused to open their airspace for Fico's flight.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said during a visit to Sweden that he regretted the trip.
A three-day ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia went into effect on Saturday, following two unsuccessful attempts earlier in the week. According to the Kremlin, there are currently no plans to extend the pause in fighting.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced the ceasefire on Friday evening, along with a planned exchange of 1,000 prisoners of war on each side. Trump expressed hope that the agreement would be "the beginning of the end of a very long, deadly, and hard-fought war," writing on his social media platform Truth Social.
However, both Kyiv and Moscow accused the other of violating the ceasefire, with each side reporting attacks by the opposing forces on Saturday.
Russia's war against Ukraine has now lasted more than four years. With hundreds of thousands of casualties, it remains the deadliest armed conflict in Europe since World War II.
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