Putin signals willingness to discuss peace as Russian forces face setbacks in Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin told the Valdai Discussion Club that Moscow is prepared to restart peace negotiations "as soon as possible" after the State Duma elections on September 20, with talks potentially beginning the following day. He emphasized that any agreement must meet conditions acceptable to Russia, including the occupation of the Donbas region, a neutral status for Ukraine, security guarantees for Russia, and protections for the Russian language and church.

Putin also referenced a planned summit in Anchorage with U.S. President Donald Trump, saying Moscow had initially agreed to American proposals but that the U.S. plan involved difficult decisions for Russia. He claimed that Ukrainian forces were attempting to disrupt the Russian vote, citing drone attacks on Moscow and other regions.

Western military analysts and independent researchers report that Russian advances have slowed and, in some areas, reversed. Ukraine's counteroffensive, dubbed Operation Vivaldi, has reclaimed territory in the northern Donbas and pushed Russian troops toward the Zherebets River. The Finland-based Black Bird Group said September was Russia's poorest month for net territorial gains since June 2023. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the operation resulted in over 5,000 Russian soldiers killed and 250 captured.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Putin would meet Ukrainian President Zelenskyy in Moscow, while Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov described the peace offer as a "huge gesture of goodwill."