The Ukraine War Looks Like It Might End Soon

Putin said that the fighting in Ukraine could soon finish. He spoke after a small Victory Day parade in Moscow, a day that remembers the Soviet win over Nazi Germany. The war began when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, sparking a crisis that felt like the Cold War’s worst moments. Russia has not captured all of eastern Ukraine, and the conflict has killed many people, destroyed cities, and hurt Russia’s economy by trillions of dollars.European leaders are thinking about talks to end the war, and Putin said he would prefer talking with former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder. He told reporters that Europe should start the conversation because they cut ties with Russia in 2022. When asked about meeting Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Putin said a meeting could happen only after a peace deal is in place. The Kremlin’s message is that Russia wants to end the conflict, but it still needs other countries to step forward first.