Russian President Vladimir Putin has revealed that he believes the decision to invade Ukraine should have been made sooner.
During a marathon national address that lasted more than four hours, Putin reflected on the ongoing war, which began in February 2022, and claimed that it has made Russia “stronger.”
“The decision to invade should have been made earlier,” he said, adding that Russia could have “prepared earlier and more thoroughly.”
According to Sky News, Putin also stated that Russia has become a “truly sovereign country” in recent years. “Russia has become much stronger in the last two or three years because it has become a truly sovereign country,” he said.
“We remain strong economically, we are strengthening our defense potential and our military capacity is now the strongest in the world.”
The Russian leader hinted at the possibility of ending the conflict and expressed his openness to talks with US President-elect Donald Trump. “Politics is the art of compromise. “We have always said that we are ready for both talks and compromise,” Putin said.
He added: “Soon, Ukrainians who want to fight will run out; In my opinion, soon there will be no one left who wants to fight. “We are prepared, but the other side must be prepared for both negotiations and compromises.”
However, any potential talks must be based on “the situation on the ground,” Putin stressed, referring to previous demands that Ukraine withdraw its candidacy for NATO membership and recognize Russia's territorial gains, terms that have been rejected. both for kyiv and for the West.
He also noted that any deal with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would depend on his re-election, as his term was extended beyond May due to martial law.