Vladimir Putin chose Victory Day, Russia's most militarily charged annual occasion, to offer his clearest signal yet that the Ukraine war may be moving toward a negotiated end. "I think that the matter is coming to an end," the Russian president told reporters on Saturday during the Moscow celebrations, four years and hundreds of thousands of casualties into Europe's deadliest conflict since World War II.

The remarks landed at a moment of genuine diplomatic movement. Russia and Ukraine have begun a US-backed three-day ceasefire and agreed to exchange 1,000 prisoners each, one of the largest swaps since the war began.

A parade that looked different

This year's Victory Day unfolded under heavy security and with conspicuous restraint. No tanks rolled through central Moscow. Instead, giant screens displayed advanced missiles, drones and fighter jets while soldiers who fought in Ukraine marched before the Kremlin walls. North Korean troops, who reportedly fought alongside Russian forces in the Kursk region, also took part.

In an eight-minute speech, Putin praised Russian troops and accused NATO of backing what he called an "aggressive force" against Russia. But it was his off-the-cuff remarks to reporters that drew the most attention globally.

"There is a feeling now that Moscow wants to signal that talks are no longer off the table," one European diplomat said privately after Putin's comments.

Diplomacy: Who Putin wants to talk to

Putin also hinted at how future engagement with Europe might look. Asked whether he was open to contact with European leaders, he named a specific preference. "For me personally, the former Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Mr. Schroeder, is preferable," he said, pointing to Gerhard Schroeder, a long-standing ally who has maintained ties with Moscow throughout the war.

On the question of meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy directly, Putin said such a meeting would only happen once both sides had agreed on a lasting peace framework. The Kremlin has long argued that European governments severed contact with Moscow after the 2022 invasion and that any restoration of dialogue must begin from the Western side.

Trump and Zelenskyy weigh in

US President Donald Trump, speaking in Washington, urged both sides to go further. "I'd like to see it stop. Russia-Ukraine, it's the worst thing since World War Two in terms of life," he said, calling for the current ceasefire to become "a big extension."

Zelenskyy's response to the Moscow celebrations was more mocking. He joked that Ukraine would "allow" Russia's parade to proceed and that Ukrainian weapons would not target Red Square.

Published on: May 10, 2026 1:20 AM IST