Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Russia would not launch any new wars after Ukraine if Western countries treat Moscow with respect, dismissing claims that Russia plans to attack European nations as “nonsense.”
Speaking during his annual televised end-of-year press conference in Moscow on Thursday, Putin said there would be no further military operations if Russia’s interests were respected. Responding to a question from the BBC, he insisted that Moscow did not seek conflict but would act if it felt deceived or threatened.
Putin repeated his long-standing accusation that the West had broken promises made after the Cold War, particularly over NATO’s eastward expansion, a claim Western leaders and former Soviet officials have previously denied.
The four-and-a-half-hour event, known as “Direct Line,” combined questions from journalists and members of the public. Russian state television said more than three million questions were submitted. While most questions were carefully managed, some critical comments appeared on screens in the hall, including complaints about rising prices, internet outages, and poor public services.
Much of the discussion focused on the war in Ukraine, now nearing its fourth year. Putin again claimed he was willing to end the conflict peacefully but showed little sign of compromise. He repeated demands that Ukraine withdraw from four regions partially occupied by Russian forces and abandon efforts to join NATO.
He also insisted that Russian troops were making progress on the battlefield and mocked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s recent visit to the front line, rejecting Ukrainian claims that Russia had failed to capture certain towns.
Putin said Russia could halt air strikes during elections in Ukraine, which he has demanded as part of any peace agreement. Kyiv has rejected the call, saying elections are impossible while the country remains under attack.
Addressing economic concerns at home, Putin acknowledged rising prices and slowing growth, though he pointed to Russia’s central bank decision on Thursday to cut interest rates as a sign of stability.
On foreign relations, Putin said Russia was ready to work with the United States, Europe, and the UK “as equals,” provided Russia’s long-term security was guaranteed. He accused Western governments of prolonging the war by backing Ukraine and claimed the West was responsible for blocking peace efforts.
Western intelligence agencies have warned that Russia could pose a wider military threat to NATO in the coming years, a claim Putin strongly denied.
The event ended with lighter questions about personal values and beliefs, with Putin briefly saying he believes in love at first sight, while declining to share details about his private life.
