In a televised statement that may mark a turning point in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared that Moscow’s objective is not merely a temporary ceasefire, but a “lasting and sustainable peace.” Speaking in an interview segment aired by Russia 1 TV and shared by journalist Pavel Zarubin on Telegram, Putin emphasized that Russia seeks to resolve what it sees as the core causes of the conflict while ensuring the security of the Russian state and its people.

Putin’s remarks come at a time of renewed diplomatic activity. The first formal talks between Russian and Ukrainian officials since 2022 were held recently in Istanbul, with Turkish mediation. The negotiations reportedly produced an agreement to exchange lists of conditions for a potential ceasefire, initiate a large-scale prisoner swap, and discuss further steps toward reconciliation.

According to Putin, Russia has “enough strength and resources to bring what was started in 2022 to its logical conclusion.” This was a reference to the full-scale military operation Moscow launched in Ukraine in February 2022, following years of simmering tensions that began with the 2014 annexation of Crimea and the outbreak of separatist movements in eastern Ukraine.

In outlining the goals of Moscow’s strategy, Putin referenced what he described as Russia’s fundamental interests in territories that include Crimea, the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, as well as the regions of Kherson and Zaporozhye. These territories held referendums in 2014 and 2022 in........

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