"The war with Ukraine is coming to an end" - Putin ready to meet with Zelensky

2026-05-09 21:52:41Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday that he believes the conflict in Ukraine is coming to an end.

"I think the matter is coming to an end," Putin told reporters about the war in Ukraine.

When asked about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Putin said a meeting was possible only after a lasting peace agreement was reached.

Putin was speaking at the Kremlin after Russia held its first Victory Day parade in years. The May 9 national holiday celebrates the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in World War II and pays tribute to the 27 million Soviet citizens who lost their lives in the war.

Asked if he was willing to engage in talks with the Europeans, he said his favorite figure was former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder.

"For me personally, the former Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Mr. Schroeder, is preferable," Putin said.

The Kremlin said last week that it is up to European governments to take the first step, as they were the ones who cut off contact with Moscow in 2022 after the start of the war in Ukraine.


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