In remarks from China, President Vladimir Putin denied that Russia has refused Ukraine’s EU membership and dismissed Western fears of further aggression as “hysteria.” The comments come as U.S. President Trump suggests Putin is “tired” of the war, yet diplomats remain deeply skeptical of Moscow’s intentions.
Putin stated on Tuesday, September 2nd, that Moscow has “never objected” to Ukraine’s potential membership in the European Union, marking a notable shift in rhetoric even as he firmly reiterated that NATO expansion remains an absolute “red line” for the Kremlin.
Speaking during talks with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, Putin insisted that a consensus on security for both Russia and Ukraine is achievable. “As for Ukraine’s membership of the EU, we have never objected to this,” Putin said. “As for NATO, this is another issue … Our position here is well known: we consider this unacceptable for ourselves.”
By softening his stance on the EU while maintaining unwavering opposition to NATO, Putin appears to be attempting to create a diplomatic wedge between Western institutions.
This apparent softening comes amid assessments from U.S. President Donald Trump, who, following his summit with Putin in Alaska last month, stated he believes the Russian leader is “tired” of the protracted and costly conflict. Despite this, Trump cautioned that a peace deal remains uncertain for a war that has become Europe’s deadliest since World War Two.
“There are options for ensuring Ukraine’s security in the event of an end to the conflict,” Putin said. “And it seems to me that there is an opportunity to find consensus here.”
However, Ukraine and its Western European allies continue to view Moscow’s overtures with suspicion. The prevailing fear among NATO members is that a Russian victory would not bring peace but instead embolden the Kremlin to threaten other nations in the region.
Putin dismissed these concerns outright, labeling them as “horror stories” and “hysteria” manufactured by those who seek to cast Russia as an eternal enemy. He justified his invasion of Ukraine as a necessary response to what he characterized as Western attempts, backed by NATO, to dominate the post-Soviet sphere.
The issue of security guarantees for Ukraine remains one of the most intractable obstacles to any potential peace settlement. Kyiv, with strong backing from Washington and Western European capitals, has steadfastly maintained that Russia cannot have a veto over its sovereign decisions, including which alliances it seeks to join. NATO itself has consistently stated that Moscow holds no veto power over its membership process.
In a potential area for cooperation, Putin addressed the situation at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which Russian forces seized in March 2022. He stated that Russia is prepared to collaborate with both the United States and Ukraine on safety and operations at the facility, Europe’s largest of its kind.
“We can cooperate with American partners,” Putin said, noting that the issue had been discussed indirectly with Washington. He added that Moscow was even open to working directly with Kyiv on the plant’s future, a significant claim, given the current state of hostilities.
Despite these gestures, the path to peace remains fraught. The fundamental chasm between Russia’s demand for a neutral Ukraine outside of NATO and Ukraine’s insistence on its sovereign right to choose its own allies appears as wide as ever. While the tone from Moscow may be shifting, the core geopolitical struggle continues unabated.
