Putin Claims Ukraine Conflict Nearing End

Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on Saturday that he believes the Ukraine conflict is approaching its conclusion. Speaking in the Kremlin after Russia's most scaled-back Victory Day parade in years, Putin told reporters, "I think that the matter is coming to an end." He added that a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky would only be possible once a lasting peace deal is reached. The May 9 national holiday commemorates the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in World War II and honors the 27 million Soviet citizens who died in that war. Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine sparked the most serious crisis in Russia-West relations since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. Despite expectations, victory in Ukraine has remained elusive for Russia.