Putin threatens to seize Ukrainian territories by force if talks fail

Speaking at the annual meeting of the Russian Defense Ministry, President Putin made it clear that he is not ready to make any compromise on the demand for the transfer of territories from Ukraine, even if the United States and European countries increase pressure for a peace agreement. Putin sharply criticized Ukraine's European allies and said that if the talks fail, Russia will achieve its goals through force.
He said that Russia wants to eliminate the root causes of the conflict through diplomatic means, but if Ukraine and its foreign backers continue to refuse serious negotiations, Russia will liberate its historical territories by force.
Putin referred to the territories that Russia is demanding to be separated from Ukraine, which are currently the biggest obstacle in the ongoing peace talks.
On the other hand, the United States and European countries are intensifying diplomatic efforts to end the war, but there are clear differences in the positions of the parties on the territorial issue and security guarantees for Ukraine.
Meanwhile, according to an analytical report by the US-based Institute for the Study of War, if Russia's current pace of advance continues, it will occupy all of Ukraine's Donbas region by August 2027.