Putin says Russia will pursue its war objectives despite Ukraine's proposal to reduce hostilities

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Sunday that Moscow will continue pursuing its military objective of fully capturing four Ukrainian regions, rejecting what he described as a new Ukrainian proposal to reduce hostilities in the war that has lasted more than four years.

In an interview with Russian state television, Putin said Ukraine had proposed a mutual halt to long-range strikes as a step toward peace. However, he dismissed the proposal, arguing that it was intended to ease pressure on Ukrainian forces along the approximately 775-mile (1,250-kilometer) front line.

"It is clear why this proposal is being made, because our counterstrikes deep into Ukrainian territory are much stronger, have greater impact and are, frankly, more destructive," Putin said.

He added that Ukraine's military was facing a severe personnel shortage and suggested the proposal was intended to help Kyiv regain its footing. "Saving the Kyiv regime is not part of our plans," he said.

The office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment, which was submitted late Sunday in Ukraine. Earlier this month, Zelenskyy publicly proposed a face-to-face meeting with Putin, an offer the Russian president rejected.

Putin reiterated that Russia's military campaign remains focused on gaining full control of Donbas and the neighboring regions of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, which Russia claims as part of its territory following its 2022 annexation. Moscow currently controls only parts of those regions.

He has repeatedly insisted that Ukraine withdraw its remaining forces from the Donetsk region as a key condition for any peace agreement.

Putin also acknowledged that intensified Ukrainian drone attacks have affected fuel supplies in several Russian regions. Speaking at a Kremlin meeting earlier Sunday, he said authorities were addressing the shortages.

In the television interview, Putin called for a rapid expansion of Russia's air defense capabilities to counter Ukrainian drone strikes, many of which have targeted the country's oil infrastructure.

"The first task is to quickly and significantly ramp up production of those air defense systems that are most needed," Putin said, adding that the attacks had not affected Russia's battlefield operations.

On diplomacy, Putin said Russia expects U.S.-led efforts to end the conflict to resume once tensions between the United States, Israel, and Iran subside. He also said he anticipates another visit to Moscow by U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

Putin acknowledged that no formal agreement emerged from his talks with U.S. President Donald Trump in Alaska last year, but said both sides discussed possible paths toward ending the war.

"Nobody signed anything, but we talked about certain possibilities for ending the conflict in Ukraine," he said, adding that U.S. proposals included requests for compromises from both sides.

Putin also suggested that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko could help facilitate future peace talks. He did not address Ukraine's claims that Russia is attempting to draw Belarus further into the conflict. Belarus allowed its territory to be used during Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, although Lukashenko has said Belarusian troops will not participate in the fighting. -Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Ronald Popeski; Editing by Edmund Klamann/Reuters