The enemy is on the retreat,” Mr Putin said. Russian president Vladimir Putin speaks during his annual live broadcast press conference. For the first time, Mr Putin said Russia was willing to suspend long-range strikes temporarily to allow Ukraine to hold an election. The US is pushing Mr Zelenskiy to cede some of the regions demanded by Mr Putin, particularly the Donbas industrial heartland, in exchange for far-reaching security guarantees. “There will not be any more [wars] if you treat us with respect and take our interests into account,” Mr Putin said.

Source: The Irish Times December 19, 2025 14:59 UTC