President Vladimir Putin has warned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Russia may abandon peaceful negotiations and pursue a military solution to the conflict in Ukraine. This statement coincides with claims from the Russian military that they are expanding their control within Ukrainian territory.
According to reports, Putin stated, “If Kyiv is unwilling to resolve the situation peacefully, Russia will resolve all issues through military means.” He asserted that Kyiv is “not in a hurry to end the conflict peacefully.”
Zelenskyy previously stated that Russia’s large-scale drone and missile attacks demonstrate a desire to continue the war, while Kyiv seeks peace. He noted that a recent attack involved approximately 500 drones and 40 missiles, causing power and heating outages in parts of the capital.
The Kremlin reported that Putin, after visiting a Russian armed forces command center, received updates from Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov and commanders of the “Central” and “Eastern” groups of Russian forces. These reports allegedly detailed the “liberation” of the towns of Dimitrov (Russian name for Myrnohrad) and Hulyaypole.
Myrnohrad, located in the Donetsk region near Pokrovsk, is considered a key logistical hub. Russia claimed control of the town earlier this month, a claim denied by Kyiv. Hulyaypole is situated in the eastern part of the Zaporizhzhia region, where Russian advances have been less frequent but have accelerated in recent months.
The Ukrainian military maintains that its forces have repelled Russian attempts to advance in the vicinity of Myrnohrad and Hulyaypole.
These developments occur ahead of a meeting between US President Donald Trump and President Zelenskyy, a meeting described by Zelenskyy as crucial for efforts to reach an agreement to end the nearly four-year-long conflict. The Ukrainian President indicated that discussions will focus on territorial control at the cessation of hostilities, which began in February.
