Moscow / Florida | December 28, 2025
Ahead of a high-stakes meeting between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Florida, Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused Ukraine of not being serious about ending the war through peace negotiations.
Speaking ahead of the talks, Putin warned that if diplomacy fails to deliver results, Russia would pursue all objectives of its “special military operation” through military force. He said Kyiv has shown little interest in resolving the conflict through dialogue and issued a direct warning to Ukrainian leadership.
Putin’s remarks come at a time when Russia has intensified its military operations against Ukraine, just as global attention shifts to the anticipated Trump–Zelenskyy discussions aimed at exploring potential pathways to end the nearly four-year-long conflict.
According to Russian state media, Putin said that if Ukrainian authorities are unwilling to resolve the issue peacefully, Russia would continue to achieve its objectives through military means. He reiterated that he had previously raised similar concerns in a speech delivered at Russia’s Foreign Ministry last year.
Putin Accuses Kyiv of Avoiding Peace
The Russian president stated that Ukraine’s current leadership has shown no urgency toward signing a peace agreement. He said that, unfortunately, Kyiv’s leaders continue to avoid serious efforts to bring the conflict to a peaceful conclusion.
Massive Attack on Kyiv
Putin’s warning followed a major overnight Russian assault on Ukraine. Russia reportedly launched nearly 500 drones and around 40 missiles targeting Kyiv and surrounding regions. The attack, which lasted close to 10 hours, left at least one person dead and injured approximately 27 others.
In response, President Zelenskyy said the scale and duration of the attack demonstrated that Russia has no intention of ending the war. He noted that tens of thousands of lives have been lost since the conflict began in February 2022.
Escalating Russian Military Activity
Earlier, the Kremlin said Putin visited a Russian military command post, where he was briefed by Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov and senior commanders. Russian officials also claimed that their forces have captured additional settlements in Ukraine’s Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions.
Global Focus on Trump–Zelenskyy Talks
Zelenskyy is scheduled to meet President Trump in Florida on Sunday, where discussions are expected to focus on potential routes toward ending the war. Sources suggest the talks may cover Ukraine’s security guarantees, territorial disputes, and key issues related to the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions.
As the meeting approaches, global attention remains fixed on whether the talks will produce meaningful progress toward ending the prolonged conflict.
