Vladimir Putin hailed his troops’ progress in Ukraine during Friday’s annual press conference – a staple of his 25-year rule. The Russian president appeared emboldened by recent battlefield gains as the US pushes for a diplomatic end to the nearly four-year war.
Addressing the EU’s failed proposal to use frozen Russian assets to fund Kyiv, Putin labelled the plan “robbery”.
He warned that “severe consequences” would have followed for the bloc had they followed through, adding, “Why can’t they carry out this robbery? Because the consequences could be severe for the robbers.”
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As Russia’s offensive enters another winter, Putin has spent days telling Russians that Moscow will seize the rest of eastern Ukraine by force if diplomacy fails.
Launched in February 2022, the Russian leader’s assault on Ukraine has become Europe’s worst conflict since World War II, killing thousands on both sides.
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Russia has since then lived under massive Western sanctions, along with a domestic crackdown on dissent unseen since the Soviet era.