At SPIEF 2025, Putin Says Russia Seeks Recognition of Battlefield Realities, Not Ukraine’s Surrender

 ST. PETERSBURG, June 21, 2025 — Russian President Vladimir Putin has reiterated that Moscow is not pursuing Ukraine’s unconditional surrender, but rather the formal acknowledgment of the “realities on the ground.” His comments came during a plenary session at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2025), where he addressed various dimensions of the ongoing conflict with Ukraine, Russia’s strategic outlook, and the prospects for resolution.

No Demand for Unconditional Surrender

In response to a question likening Russia’s position to that of U.S. President Donald Trump’s reported demand for Iran’s total capitulation, Putin firmly rejected such parallels.
“We are not seeking the surrender of Ukraine,” he stated. “We insist on recognition of the realities that have developed on the ground.”

Diplomacy Undermined by Kiev and Western Powers

The Russian leader maintained that Moscow had made repeated attempts to resolve the conflict through diplomacy, particularly in the Donbass region following the 2014 Maidan uprising.
“At each stage, we suggested to those with whom we were in contact in Ukraine to stop and said, ‘Let’s negotiate now.’ This happened several times,” Putin said.
He claimed that these overtures were systematically undercut by Ukraine and its Western backers, resulting in missed opportunities to de-escalate the conflict.

Putin further cited the Istanbul talks of early 2022, which he said collapsed due to pressure from Western nations adhering to what he described as “neocolonial principles.”
“They believed they could exploit the situation to crush Russia and profit at its expense,” he remarked.

Ukraine’s Sovereignty and Identity

Addressing the broader geopolitical narrative, Putin insisted that Russia does not deny Ukraine’s right to exist as an independent nation. However, he argued that Ukraine has deviated from its founding principles as outlined in its 1991 Declaration of Independence.
“It is clearly written that Ukraine is to be a non-aligned, non-nuclear, neutral state. Returning to these foundations would be appropriate,” he said.

At the same time, Putin reaffirmed his controversial stance on Ukraine’s national identity.
“I have said many times that I consider Russians and Ukrainians to be one people. In this sense, all of Ukraine is ours,” he declared.

Warning Against Nuclear Provocation

In one of his sternest warnings during the session, Putin cautioned against any Ukrainian attempt to acquire or use nuclear materials, including dirty bombs.
“Our response will be very harsh and, most likely, catastrophic for both the neo-Nazi regime and, unfortunately, for Ukraine itself,” he said.
He added, however, that there is currently no intelligence indicating such plans from Kiev.

Ukraine’s Military Depleted, Strategy Questioned

Putin claimed that Ukraine’s military forces are severely overstretched, with average unit strength reportedly at just 47%. He cited the August 2024 Ukrainian offensive in Russia’s Kursk Region as a strategic misstep.
“They lost 76,000 personnel there. It was a disaster for them,” he asserted.
He argued that the operation extended the line of contact by an additional 1,600 kilometers, creating vulnerabilities across Ukraine’s entire defensive structure.
“They pulled apart all their armed forces. It is hard to imagine greater military stupidity,” Putin said.

Possibility of Deeper Incursion into Ukrainian Territory

While emphasizing that Russia does not currently aim to capture the city of Sumy, Putin acknowledged that Moscow has created a buffer zone up to 12 kilometers deep in Ukraine’s Sumy Region following the campaign in Kursk.
“We don’t have the goal of taking Sumy, but in principle, I don’t rule it out,” he remarked, leaving open the possibility of further territorial advances should hostilities continue along the Russian border.

Putin’s comments at SPIEF 2025 reflect a hardened Russian stance on Ukraine while leaving the door open for negotiations—provided Kyiv and its Western allies accept the territorial and political consequences of the ongoing war. The statements underscore Moscow's intent to shape the conflict’s outcome on its own terms, while maintaining a posture of readiness for both military escalation and diplomatic engagement.