Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned on Wednesday that Russia appears to be preparing a fresh "year of war" against Ukraine in 2026, responding to remarks by Russian President Vladimir Putin that Moscow will "certainly" meet its objectives.
"Today we heard yet another signal from Moscow that they are preparing to make next year a year of war," Zelensky said in his regular evening address, urging Ukraine's partners to take the warnings seriously and respond diplomatically and materially.
Putin Reiterates Military Goals
Speaking to defence ministry officials in Moscow, Putin said the goals of the Kremlin's so-called "special military operation" will "certainly be achieved." He said Russia would prefer to resolve the situation through diplomacy but left open the use of force to secure territories Moscow claims, should negotiations fail.
"The goals of the special military operation will certainly be achieved," Putin said, adding that Russia would act by military means if "the opposing country and its foreign patrons refuse to engage in substantive discussions."
Diplomacy, Talks and Territorial Disputes
The remarks came amid intensified diplomatic activity. Kyiv on Monday reported "progress" on future security guarantees after two days of talks in Berlin with envoys of US President Donald Trump, but significant differences remain—chiefly over which territories Ukraine might be asked to cede.
Washington's initial proposal, criticised by Kyiv and many Western partners as overly favourable to Moscow, would have entailed Ukrainian withdrawals from parts of the Donetsk region and effectively recognised Donetsk, Crimea and Luhansk as Russian-held. The details of any revised proposal remain unclear.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday that Russia was waiting for the United States to share the results of its discussions with Ukraine and European partners.
Annexations and Next Steps
In September 2022, Russia claimed to have formally annexed the Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Luhansk and Kherson regions, despite not holding full military control over all those areas. Zelensky is due in Brussels on Thursday to press European Union leaders to adopt a plan to use frozen Russian assets to bolster Ukraine's defences.
In his address Zelensky warned that Putin's bellicose signals "are not only for us," urging allies—particularly the United States—to recognise the risks and respond to prevent further escalation and to protect diplomatic channels.
Byline: Reporting compiled from official remarks by Ukrainian and Russian leaders and statements from Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
