Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that ending the war in Ukraine through negotiations is possible if “common sense prevails.” Speaking in Beijing on Wednesday, Putin stressed that he preferred diplomacy but warned that Russia was prepared to use force if needed.
Putin’s remarks came after his talks in China, where Moscow secured a deal for a new gas pipeline. He noted what he described as a “light at the end of the tunnel,” pointing to efforts by the United States under President Donald Trump to work toward a settlement.
“It seems to me that if common sense prevails, it will be possible to agree on an acceptable solution,” Putin told reporters. He added that Washington had shown “a sincere desire” to help reach peace.
Despite his words on diplomacy, Putin made it clear that his demands remain unchanged. These include Ukraine abandoning NATO membership plans and ending what Moscow claims is discrimination against Russian speakers.
He also said he was open to meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Moscow, but only if the talks were well prepared and produced tangible results. Kyiv has dismissed Moscow as an unacceptable venue for any negotiations.
Zelenskiy has repeatedly called for further sanctions against Russia and urged the United States to pressure Moscow harder if no progress is made. Trump, meanwhile, has pushed for a possible meeting between the two leaders but has yet to impose additional sanctions.
Putin emphasized that diplomacy remained his preferred option, but if talks fail, Russia would “resolve all the tasks before us by force of arms.”
The conflict, now in its third year, has already led to heavy sanctions on Russia and mounting economic pressure on Putin’s government.
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