Peace in Ukraine within reach, says Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin said following this year’s Victory Day Parade in Moscow that a peaceful resolution to the war in Ukraine may once again be within reach.

Speaking after the parade, Putin criticized Western support for Ukraine, accusing Western nations of escalating tensions with Russia and misjudging the outcome of the conflict.

“They expected Russia to suffer a major defeat. Many believed the Russian state would collapse within a matter of months. That did not happen, and now they find themselves trapped in a situation from which they cannot easily find a way out,” Putin said. He added that there are “intelligent people” in the West who understand “the true nature of what is taking place.”

Meanwhile, Robert Fico was the only European Union leader to attend the military parade in the Russian capital — a move that drew criticism from officials in Brussels.

In posts on social media, the Slovak prime minister criticized Europe’s shift away from Russian oil and gas, arguing that it has forced the bloc to rely on more expensive energy alternatives.

“We cannot replace one energy dependency with another — this time an American one — simply out of hostility toward Russia. That would be a costly decision,” Fico said, adding that higher prices are “the price we Europeans are paying for misguided policies and an ideological fixation on Russia.”