Moscow signals confidence while blaming NATO support, as fragile ceasefire begins under immediate dispute.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said the war in Ukraine appeared to be moving toward an end, while sharply criticizing Western military support for Kyiv. Speaking after Moscow’s scaled-down Victory Day parade on May 9, 2026, Putin accused NATO-backed Ukraine of acting as an aggressive force and defended Russia’s war aims as justified. He claimed Western nations had expected Russia to suffer defeat and collapse, but said those expectations had failed.
This year’s Victory Day events were reduced amid heightened security concerns following recent Ukrainian long-range attacks. The first day of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire was overshadowed by mutual accusations of violations, casting doubt on its durability. Putin also said he would meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a third country only after all peace agreement conditions were settled.
