Putin briefly mentioned the Russia-Ukraine conflict in his New Year's address, spending less than a minute on it, and entirely avoided discussing the prospect of a ceasefire and U.S. mediation. The entire speech lasted slightly over three minutes, with a clearly more subdued tone. He only briefly praised frontline soldiers for "fighting for the Motherland, truth, and justice," and emphasized national unity and future vision. Compared to his nine-minute war-style speech in 2022, which was full of accusations against the West, this time he deliberately lowered the tone, reflecting the Kremlin's cautious handling of public sentiment amid the fourth year of the war and increasing domestic "war fatigue." A December survey by the Levada Center showed that 66% of Russians support peace negotiations, the highest proportion since the war began. Despite the clear public inclination towards de-escalation, Putin did not mention Trump's peace efforts or any compromise signals in his address. In sharp contrast, Zelensky focused almost entirely on the war in his New Year's speech, stating that the peace plan drafted with the U.S. was "90% complete," with remaining key differences involving territory, security guarantees, and control over nuclear facilities. As contact between the two sides continues, Russia accused Ukraine of a drone attack on Putin's residence and hinted at re-examining existing negotiation positions, while the EU's foreign affairs chief stated it was an "intentional attempt to shift the focus." Overall, the Kremlin chose to downplay the war during the symbolic New Year moment but maintained a firm stance in actual policy, adding uncertainty to the prospects for negotiations in the new year.
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Original article: toutiao.com/article/1853203063222282/
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