Putin Warns Ukraine War Will End Only After Russia ‘Achieves Its Goals’

Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a firm warning that the war in Ukraine will continue until Moscow meets its objectives, including what he described as the “liberation of Donbas.”

In an interview with India Today, Putin accused the West of provoking the conflict and claimed Russia’s military operation was “an attempt to end a war the West ignited using Ukrainian nationalists.” He reiterated that Kyiv’s actions, influenced by Western powers, left Moscow with “no choice.”

Putin said Ukraine’s restrictions on the Russian language, religious institutions, and cultural practices were key drivers of the conflict. “Russia is determined… to protect its interests, its people, our traditional values, and the Russian language,” he said.

The Russian President also blamed Kyiv for violence in the Donbas region and said Moscow initially sought a peaceful solution. “After eight years of relentless violence against the citizens of Donbass… we were forced to recognise these republics and provide support,” he said.

Putin further accused the West of overlooking the 2014 ouster of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, calling it a Western-backed “coup” that triggered the chain of events leading to the current conflict.

Putin is in India for a two-day visit — his first in four years — and was welcomed in New Delhi with a cultural performance before departing with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the same vehicle.