From Vladivostok, Putin said the war's outcome should be determined by the parties to it - Russia and Ukraine - and added that, in his view, there is still a chance to reach peace. He also condemned Kyiv's guidance for airlines to avoid Russian skies, characterizing it as "state terrorism."
More than four years into the conflict, efforts to end it have stalled, with Kyiv and Moscow split over questions of territory, security guarantees and Ukraine's defense orientation. Ukraine's foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, told Reuters he anticipates "a new dynamic in the peace efforts, with the return of this active phase of political and diplomatic engagement in many capitals around the world." U.S. and European efforts have so far not produced a settlement, even with media reports that CIA Director John Ratcliffe traveled to Moscow last week to caution Russia against any escalation. Other capitals are weighing in too: India's Narendra Modi last week urged Putin to turn away from "endless war," and a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said Wednesday that "Dialogue and negotiation are the only viable solution to the Ukraine crisis," following President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's appeal for China to adopt a "strong diplomatic role." CNBC has contacted Russia's and Ukraine's foreign ministries for comment.
Putin responded by saying that this threat amounts to a declaration of "state terrorism," and said Russia would increase strikes on Ukraine. Kyiv is increasingly relying on domestically built drones to hit far beyond the front line, seeking to raise the war's economic and military costs for Russia. Meanwhile, Russian forces have intensified missile attacks on Ukrainian cities as Kyiv faces shortages of air defense equipment.
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Putin's suggestion that peace is possible stands in contrast to NATO's message. He added that the alliance is working continuously to ensure people's safety, and said that if Moscow believes it can divide NATO or deter its support for Ukraine, it is mistaken.
