Putin vows to conquer ‘historic lands’ in Ukraine, calls European leaders ‘piglets’ for backing Kyiv

The U.S. and Ukraine may have hailed progress in peace talks earlier this week, but Vladimir Putin maintains that Russia will “undoubtedly achieve” its goals in the war against Ukraine. Speaking at a meeting of senior defense ministry officials on Wednesday, Putin took a hard line against Kyiv and its allies, referring to European leaders as “piglets” and vowing that Moscow would conquer its “historic lands” in Ukraine. At the same time, Putin took a more conciliatory tone toward the United States, underscoring that Russia remains “in dialogue” with President Donald Trump’s administration.

Putin maintained that Russia “firmly holds the strategic initiative along the entire front line” in Ukraine and that its army’s capabilities are being “constantly enhanced.” He then told the defense officials:

The goals of the special military operation will undoubtedly be achieved. We would prefer to accomplish this and address the root causes of the conflict through diplomacy. [However,] if the opposing side and its foreign patrons refuse to have a substantive discussion, Russia will achieve the liberation of its historic lands by military means.

Putin condemned European leaders throughout his speech, claiming that they are “indoctrinating” their people to believe that a conflict with Russia is inevitable and that preparations for a major war are necessary. He also insisted that Russia has “always sought to find diplomatic solutions” to conflicts. Responsibility for failing to seize these “chances,” Putin said, “lies completely with those who believed we could be spoken to in the language of force.”

“We welcome the progress that has been made in [our] dialogue with the new U.S. administration. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said of the current leadership of most European countries,” Putin told the defense officials.

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Later in the meeting, Putin attempted to shift the blame for Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine onto Kyiv and its allies, and echoed Trump’s claims that the war “never would have happened” if he were president at the time instead of Joe Biden. In his words,

It was not us who started the war in 2022; it was destructive forces in Ukraine with the support of the West. In essence, the West itself unleashed this war. We are only trying to finish it, to stop it. […] President Trump says that if he had been president then, none of this would have happened. This may well be true, because the previous administration deliberately steered things toward an armed conflict.

Putin went on to refer to European leaders as “piglets,” claiming that they went along with the Biden administration’s policy of supporting Ukraine in the hope of profiting from Russia’s defeat. “Everyone thought that they would destroy Russia in a short period of time. And the ‘European piglets’ immediately joined in the work of the previous U.S. administration, in the hope of profiting from the collapse of our country,” Putin said.

Reiterating Russia’s purported willingness to negotiate and “resolve all problems peacefully,” Putin speculated that this wouldn’t be possible with Europe until its current leaders lose power.

The U.S. administration is demonstrating such readiness, and we are in dialogue with them. I hope the same will happen with Europe. It is unlikely that this is possible with the current political elites, but in any case, this will be inevitable as we grow stronger. If not with the current politicians, then with a change in the political elites in Europe.