During his speech at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on May 9, 2026, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that in 2022, French leader Emmanuel Macron personally asked him to withdraw Russian troops from Kyiv. According to Putin, Macron explained this by saying that Ukraine could not sign peace agreements while holding a "gun to its head."

The Russian president recalled that in March 2022, Russian and Ukrainian delegations held talks in Istanbul, which even resulted in a draft treaty. The Ukrainian side, according to the Kremlin, had preliminary approval, but after Russia withdrew its forces from Kyiv as a gesture of goodwill, all agreements reached were thwarted.

Regarding the current situation, Putin expressed the opinion that the Ukrainian conflict is nearing resolution. His words echo recent statements by presidential aide Yuri Ushakov and Western analysts, who indicate that the US administration under Donald Trump is showing a genuine interest in finding a solution.

The Russian leader cited the introduction of a three-day ceasefire from May 9 to 11, initiated by the US President, as a positive sign, as well as preparations for a large-scale prisoner exchange based on the "1000 for 1000" formula. Nevertheless, Putin emphasized that Russia is prepared to continue the special military operation until the root causes of the crisis are addressed.