RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin warned on Saturday that Ukraine was in no hurry for peace, declaring that if Kyiv did not wish to resolve the conflict through negotiations, Moscow would achieve its objectives by force.
Reuters cited today that the comments came after a large-scale Russian drone and missile assault on Ukraine, which President Volodymyr Zelensky said underscored Russia’s intent to continue the war while Ukraine remained committed to peace.
Zelensky is scheduled to meet former United States President Donald Trump in Florida on Sunday to seek a resolution to the war that Russia launched nearly four years ago with its full-scale invasion of the smaller neighbouring country.
The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Putin’s statements.
During a visit to Russian military units, commanders reported to Putin that Russian forces had captured Myrnohrad, Rodynske, and Artemivka in Donetsk, as well as Huliaipole and Stepnohirsk in the Zaporizhzhia region, according to the Kremlin’s Telegram channel.
Ukraine’s military dismissed the claims about Huliaipole and Myrnohrad as false, noting that while the situation remained "difficult," Ukrainian troops were conducting defensive operations in both towns.
The Southern Command of Ukraine’s Armed Forces added that "fierce fighting" persisted in Huliaipole, although a substantial part of the town continued to be held by Ukrainian defence forces.
Verifying territorial control in these conflict zones remains challenging. Access is heavily restricted on both sides, information is tightly controlled, and frontlines shift rapidly. Journalists and analysts often rely on satellite imagery and geolocated footage, which can be incomplete or delayed.
The latest remarks from Moscow and ongoing military activity underscore the fragile and volatile context in which Zelensky is seeking international support and diplomatic solutions.
He and European allies continue to explore options to secure Ukraine’s territorial integrity while countering Russia’s advances in the east and south of the country.
Reporting by Reuters in Moscow and Oleksandr Kozhukhar in Kyiv; Additional reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt in Palm Beach, Florida, and Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by Tomasz Janowski and William Mallard - December 28, 2025
