Moscow, May 10 (V7N)- Russian President Vladimir Putin has indicated that the long-running war with Ukraine may be approaching its conclusion, while also expressing willingness to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a third country if a long-term peace agreement is reached.

Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Putin said, “I think the war is drawing to a close,” marking one of his most notable signals yet regarding the future of the conflict.

The remarks come amid renewed diplomatic activity involving ceasefire discussions and prisoner exchange arrangements between Moscow and Kyiv.

The comments were made shortly before Russia’s annual Victory Day celebrations at Red Square, where Putin praised Russian forces engaged in the war in Ukraine and framed the conflict as resistance against what he called NATO-backed aggression.

He also stated that Russia is fighting against “aggression supported by the entire NATO alliance,” and added, “Victory has always been Russia’s, and it will be ours in the future.”

This year’s Victory Day parade was noticeably scaled down compared to previous years. Instead of large displays of tanks and missiles, military equipment was shown on screens, a move analysts link to security concerns and ongoing wartime constraints.

The event also saw participation from North Korean troops for the first time, a development widely interpreted as a signal of deepening military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang.

Meanwhile, limited ceasefire measures have been reported in recent weeks. Russia declared a three-day unilateral ceasefire during Victory Day commemorations, while Ukraine announced its own temporary ceasefire earlier in May. However, reports indicate that fighting has continued despite these declarations.

A notable development has been an agreement to exchange around 1,000 prisoners of war, which observers see as a rare positive step amid the prolonged conflict.

Russia maintains that the war began in response to Western expansion policies, particularly NATO’s eastward enlargement, a claim consistently rejected by Western governments.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the conflict has continued despite heavy sanctions on Moscow and sustained military support for Ukraine from Western allies.

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