Moscow, May 10. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday — after the Victory Day parade in Moscow — that the war with Ukraine was "coming to an end". He also expressed willingness to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a third country.
Meeting with a condition
Putin made clear, however, that any such direct meeting would happen only after a final peace treaty had been finalised. "When the papers are ready, it makes sense to sit at the table," he said. The statement is being read as Putin's most conciliatory in three years.
Trump's three-day ceasefire
The remarks came during a three-day ceasefire (May 9-11) brokered by US President Donald Trump. The two sides used the window to exchange 1,000 prisoners — the largest single swap of the war. Both sides also accused each other of breaching the truce.
A toned-down Victory Day
This year's Victory Day parade was the most pared-back in nearly two decades. The tanks, missile launchers, and combat aircraft traditionally on display in Red Square were absent. Analysts read it as a reflection both of strain on Russian military resources and a symbolic message.