On 2026-10-22, President Vladimir Putin stepped into the spotlight, not to announce a new military campaign but to clarify Russia’s position on a conflict that has racked the world. In a televised address, he made it clear that Moscow is not seeking armed confrontation with Ukraine. "We do not want to have an armed conflict with Ukraine," he said, a line that would become the cornerstone of his narrative.
Putin’s remarks were framed against a backdrop of what he called "the national idea of war" that he attributes to Ukraine. He questioned whether this idea truly belonged to the Ukrainian people or was a construct of their leadership. "But if this is what the incumbent Ukrainian government wants, let them have it," he added, implying that the desire for war was not a spontaneous sentiment of the populace.
Speaking to me from Kyiv, President Zelensky says he is ready for a ceasefire. “It’s not about the name,” he says, but about “the result: stop the killing, ceasefire, or freeze the conflict – and have strong security guarantees… not to give any chance for Russia, for Putin… to come back to Ukraine and kill our people.”
The president didn’t stop at Ukraine. He broadened his critique to include European states that, in his view, were eager to weaken Russia. "Some countries in Europe, for example, or others in the world, want to fight with Russia to weaken it," Putin said. This statement positioned Russia as a target of external aggression, a narrative that has long underpinned Kremlin propaganda.
Do they treat them like the people who want to fight abroad for us, as expendable material?
A recurring theme in Putin’s speech was the treatment of Ukrainian citizens. He accused the Ukrainian leadership of treating its own people as expendable. "They keep saying they are ready to fight to the last Ukrainian. But how does the Ukrainian leadership treat its own citizens? Do they treat them like the people who want to fight abroad for us, as expendable material? After all, these are their citizens who are fighting," he said.
Putin on Eastern Ukraine: https://t.co/82KMmog5pj
The president also turned his gaze outward, questioning the global community’s involvement. "Why has the current Ukrainian leadership decided that the whole world must pay for this Ukrainian leadership, fight for them, supply weapons, ammunition, equipment, and so on? This is unclear. If they want to fight? We do not want to fight Ukraine. But if the current Ukrainian leadership wants to fight, let them fight," he asked. This rhetorical question underscored Russia’s insistence that the responsibility for the war lies with Ukraine’s leaders, not with the international community.
Putin’s interview with journalist Pavel Zarubin of IS ‘Vesti’ was a clear statement of intent: Russia is not the aggressor, and the war is a product of Ukrainian political decisions. By framing the conflict in these terms, the Kremlin seeks to shift blame and justify its own defensive posture.
Putin claims that “recent genetic studies” show Russians and Ukrainians are “one people”. He also said Moscow was “even now” ready to negotiate and seek a way to resolve the conflict in Ukraine. An agreement was possible, he said, but warned that if the other side chose a different path, the outcome would be different. Putin added that Russia would pursue its stated objectives and achieve all the goals of its “special military operation” regardless. Video: Clash Report
Today, the narrative remains in tension. While Moscow maintains that it is not seeking conflict, the international community continues to view the war as a violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty. The president’s words, delivered on 2026-10-22, will likely be cited for years to come as the Kremlin attempts to control the story of its own security.