Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking at the Valdai Club, outlined a strategy of "crushing response" where Ukraine would be framed as the aggressor and Russia as the victim. He stated that Ukraine must be demilitarized, denazified, and lose territory, emphasizing that NATO membership is impossible and Ukraine must be neutral.

Putin also warned that Western leaders' insistence on continuing the conflict was leading Ukraine to ruin and cautioned against repeating the "unprovoked aggression" narrative used in 2022, this time potentially targeting the Kaliningrad region. He stated that any blockade of Kaliningrad would be considered an attack on Russia, and attacks on regions unrecognized as Russian territory would also be seen as aggression.