Putin: Russia Will Either Defeat Ukraine or Agree to US Terms

Russian President Vladimir Putin talked victory and negotiations in the same breath on Thursday. Addressing foreign media editors at Russia's annual economic forum in St. Petersburg, he said his government is prepared to defeat Ukraine "on the battlefield" but is also ready to halt the war through talks based on what he described as an earlier discussion on "compromises" with President Trump in Anchorage. Putin did not detail any such terms, Reuters reports, but reiterated his demand that Ukraine give up the remaining parts of the Donbas region not yet under Russian control, calling that a condition for ending the fighting. Putin took questions about:

• The invasion's status: Putin claimed Russia now fully controls the self-proclaimed Luhansk "people's republic" and more than 85% of the Donetsk counterpart. He also said Russia has not yet used its Oreshnik hypersonic missile in real combat in Ukraine, only in tests, but left open the possibility of future deployment, including against cities. The nuclear-capable weapon, with an advertised range of more than 5,000 kilometers, has been touted by Putin as impossible to stop—an assertion Western analysts have treated with skepticism.
• Drone attacks: Despite the confidence he expressed, Putin acknowledged that Ukrainian drones that reached deep into Russia recently have done damage. "To our regret, some of them break through," he said, per the AP. Putin said Russia will strengthen its air defenses. Ukraine's drones struck the St. Petersburg area on Wednesday as the forum began.

• Economic strain: Asked if the war on Ukraine has caused Russia's economy to struggle, Putin paraphrased American Mark Twain, saying "rumors of my death are highly exaggerated." He expressed concern about inflation while saying the economy is growing. "You can say we've cooled off, or you can say we haven't done everything yet, but these are deliberate steps. We don't want inflation—hyperinflation—to reach 60-80%, as it is some countries," Putin said. "We're fighting for the health of the Russian economy as a whole."