Putin's Unchanged Objectives in Russia-Ukraine War Revealed

Russian President Vladimir Putin, in his first major news conference since launching a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, stated that peace with Ukraine will only be achieved when Russia achieves its objectives, which include denazification, demilitarization, and Ukraine's neutral status. Putin revealed that Russia currently has 617,000 troops fighting in Ukraine and claimed that the number of volunteers signing up as contract soldiers is increasing. He criticized Ukraine's recent military success as a political move to secure foreign aid and asserted that Russian forces have the upper hand across the front line. Putin also addressed Russian relations with the US and EU, calling for mutual respect and expressing willingness to reach an agreement on the release of American citizens held in Russian jails.