2022 – Russia launches a full‑scale invasion of Ukraine, sparking a wave of Western sanctions and prompting NATO to expand into the Nordic region, a development Putin repeatedly cites as a core grievance. [4]

June 2024 – A diplomatic framework presented by Moscow demands that Ukraine withdraw from four partially occupied regions and abandon its NATO‑membership bid, setting a baseline for later peace talks. [2]

2025 (early) – Putin and former U.S. President Donald Trump hold an “Alaska summit,” which later underpins the U.S. peace proposal referenced by the Kremlin as “very concrete” and “necessary.” [7]

Dec 3, 2025 – NATO Secretary‑General Mark Rutte tells Putin in Brussels, “We are not going anywhere,” urging all allies to spend at least 5 % of GDP on defence as Russia ramps up its military budget; the same day U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner meet Putin for five hours but leave without a deal. [8]

Dec 4, 2025 – In an interview, Putin says Russia “disagrees with parts of the U.S. plan to end the war,” insisting that “either we take back these territories by force, or Ukrainian troops withdraw,” while quoting leaders such as Trump (“the talks were reasonably good”) and Zelensky (“we will not cede any territory”). [3]

Dec 4, 2025 – Putin tells India Today that “finding agreement with Ukraine is hard” and accuses Kyiv of abandoning peace promises, adding that Moscow will seize full control of Donbas “by force unless Ukrainian troops leave.” [7]

Dec 4, 2025 – European officials accuse Putin of “pretending interest in peace talks” after five‑hour sessions with U.S. envoys, while the envoys describe the talks as “constructive” and NATO ministers demand an immediate ceasefire and continued aid to Ukraine. [11]

Dec 15, 2025 – President Zelensky announces that Ukraine will no longer pursue NATO membership to facilitate negotiations; Kremlin spokesman Peskov rejects “megaphone” talks and re‑asserts NATO as a “cornerstone issue,” while U.S. President Trump publicly rules out any Ukrainian NATO entry. [6]

Dec 19, 2025 – During the televised Direct Line, Putin declares there will be “no new special military operations” if the West treats Russia with respect, and minutes later a Russian missile strike on Odesa kills seven civilians, underscoring the war’s ongoing intensity. [2]

Dec 19, 2025 – In a live interview with Rosenberg, Putin offers an “olive branch,” saying Russia will cease hostilities “immediately provided its medium‑ and long‑term security is guaranteed,” while the EU approves a €90 billion loan to Ukraine and debates using frozen Russian assets for further funding. [1]

Dec 19, 2025 – At his annual marathon press conference, Putin announces a $105 billion interest‑free EU loan to Ukraine, lists recent battlefield gains, and states Russia is ready for peace only if Kyiv withdraws from Donbas, NATO expansion stops, and a “regime change” occurs; he also hints that Steve Witkoff will meet Kremlin banker Kirill Dmitriev in Miami to discuss a proposal. [4]

Dec 19, 2025 – Putin tells reporters that Russian forces are “advancing across Ukraine” and that the Kremlin’s goals—recognition of four occupied regions and Crimea, Ukrainian limits on its army, and a ban on NATO troops—will be achieved by year‑end, warning that any NATO deployment would be a legitimate target. [10]

Jan 15, 2026 – Kremlin spokesman Peskov backs former President Trump’s claim that Kyiv is “blocking a peace agreement,” while Putin stresses that security guarantees must be “universal, equal and indivisible”; a Russian drone strike shatters a playground in Lviv with no injuries, and no date is set for Witkoff’s next Moscow visit. [9]

Jan 22, 2026 – Finnish President Alexander Stubb declares at a Davos panel that “Putin has failed in every strategic aim,” noting that Russia’s invasion accelerated NATO’s expansion to include Finland and Sweden and that Moscow’s global power projection is waning; he calls for sustained military and economic pressure to push Russia toward ending the war. [5]