Moscow [Russia], December 17 : President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday cautioned that Russia could move to broaden its territorial control in Ukraine if peace talks fail to meet Moscow's conditions, indicating that the Kremlin remains ready to rely on military force should diplomatic efforts stall.
Addressing senior military commanders at an annual meeting, Putin said Russia favours resolving the conflict through negotiations and by working to "eliminate the root causes of the conflict", while making it clear that the absence of meaningful dialogue would harden Moscow's response.
"If the opposing side and its foreign patrons refuse to engage in substantive dialogue, Russia will achieve the liberation of its historical lands by military means," Putin said.
His remarks come amid renewed international efforts to end the conflict that began with Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said a settlement was "closer than ever" following high-level discussions in Berlin, though major differences remain unresolved.
Talks involving the United States, Ukraine and European leaders have centred on security guarantees and territorial questions. European leaders have supported strong, US-backed security assurances for Ukraine, while stopping short of endorsing NATO membership.
Despite the diplomatic push, gaps between Moscow and Kyiv remain wide. Putin claimed that Russian forces are firmly holding the "strategic initiative" along the entire front line and said Russia would expand a buffer security zone along its border. He also described Russian troops as "battle-hardened" and unmatched in combat experience.
Ukraine and its Western partners have dismissed these assertions, characterising Russia's actions as an unprovoked violation of Ukrainian sovereignty.
Putin also drew attention to Russia's expanding military capabilities, including the modernisation of its nuclear arsenal. He said the nuclear-capable Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile would formally enter combat duty this month, noting that a conventionally armed version was tested in November 2024 during a strike on a Ukrainian factory, which he claimed was impossible to intercept.
The comments followed several rounds of discussions this week among Ukrainian, American and European officials on a US-drafted peace proposal. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said after meeting US envoys in Berlin that the document could be finalised within days and then submitted to the Kremlin.
Putin has reiterated demands that Ukraine and the international community recognise Russian control over Crimea, annexed in 2014, and territories seized by Russian forces in four eastern and southern regions. He has also called for Ukrainian troops to withdraw from parts of eastern Ukraine still under Kyiv's control.
The Kremlin has continued to insist that Ukraine abandon its bid to join NATO, warning that any deployment of NATO troops would be viewed as a "legitimate target".
Zelenskyy has said Ukraine could consider dropping its NATO membership bid if it receives security guarantees comparable to those of NATO members, while stressing that NATO remains Kyiv's preferred option. He has rejected Russian demands for withdrawals from areas not occupied by Moscow.
Calling the draft peace plan discussed in Berlin "not perfect" but "very workable", Zelenskyy said Ukraine and its partners were close to agreement on strong security guarantees, while acknowledging that territorial control remains the most difficult issue.
With diplomatic activity intensifying but positions remaining entrenched, Putin's warning underlined Moscow's readiness to escalate militarily if negotiations fail to produce outcomes aligned with Russia's demands.