Putin Makes a Big Ukraine Threat
Key Points and Summary – As diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine stall, Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a stark ultimatum: negotiate a peace deal on his terms or he will “resolve all the tasks before us by force of arms.”
-Speaking from a high-profile military parade in Beijing, Putin expressed some optimism for a deal while simultaneously threatening a military solution.
-The threat comes amid continued Russian attacks on Ukraine and maximalist demands from Moscow in peace talks.
-In a bizarre aside, Putin was also overheard discussing life-extension technology and the prospect of immortality with China’s Xi Jinping.
Putin’s Plan to End the Ukraine War…By Force
After the middle part of August was full of diplomacy aimed at ending the war between Russia and Ukraine, including meetings President Donald Trump had with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, recent weeks have been marked by a series of major attacks, going both ways in the war.
Most recently, there were 500 drones and missiles launched at Ukraine by Russia. Ukraine, meanwhile, has been launching AI-powered drones, kicking off what the Wall Street Journal describes as “a new frontier for warfare.”
Now, Putin has made a specific threat to Ukraine: End the war on his terms, or he’ll end it on his, with force. The comments came during Putin’s visit to China, where he participated in a military parade with President Xi, to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
Per Reuters, Putin addressed reporters in Beijing and referred to “a certain light at the end of the tunnel” when it comes to ending the war after more than three years.
Common Sense?
“It seems to me that if common sense prevails, it will be possible to agree on an acceptable solution to end this conflict. That is my assumption,” Putin told the press during his visit to China.
Putin also indicated that he thinks the Trump Administration, despite some criticism of Putin by Trump of late, is on his side.
Trump ran throughout 2024 while promising to end the war on his first day in office, and he has continued to push for such an agreement in the months since. In multiple rounds of peace talks, the Russian side has made maximalist demands, for territory as well as neutrality for Ukraine after the war.
“Especially since we can see the mood of the current U.S. administration under President Trump, and we see not just their statements, but their sincere desire to find this solution,” Putin told reporters in China.
“I think there is a certain light at the end of the tunnel. Let’s see how the situation develops. If not, then we will have to resolve all the tasks before us by force of arms,” Putin said.
Also in the session with reporters, Putin declared that he would be willing to meet face-to-face with Zelenskyy.
“As for a meeting with Zelenskiy, I have never ruled out the possibility of such a meeting. But is there any point? Let’s see,” the Russian president added.
Living Forever?
Another story came out of the meeting in Beijing- a hot microphone captured an unusual discussion between Putin and the Chinese President Xi Jinping. The two leaders discussed organ transplantation and futuristic technology that could allow humans to live forever.
According to the Guardian, Putin’s interpreter was heard saying, “Biotechnology is continuously developing,” to which he added, “Human organs can be continuously transplanted. The longer you live, the younger you become, and [you can] even achieve immortality.”
Xi’s reply included the phrase “some predict that in this century humans may live to 150 years old.”
Putin in 2022. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Putin confirmed to reporters later on that the two leaders had discussed the topic. However, it was previously known that Putin had an interest in life extension technology, including his founding last year of the New Health Preservation Technologies. Some grants to that end have gone to endocrinologist Maria Vorontsova, Putin’s daughter, The Guardian reported.
That effort was discussed at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in June of 2024.
“The demographic goals set for us by the President of the Russian Federation require us to focus on the development of health preservation technologies, the advancement of medical science, and the introduction of cutting-edge healthcare methods into medical practice,” the Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Tatyana Golikova, said at the time about the effort.
About the Author: Stephen Silver
Stephen Silver is an award-winning journalist, essayist, and film critic, and contributor to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Broad Street Review, and Splice Today. The co-founder of the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle, Stephen lives in suburban Philadelphia with his wife and two sons. For over a decade, Stephen has authored thousands of articles that focus on politics, national security, technology, and the economy. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @StephenSilver, and subscribe to his Substack newsletter.
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