In his Victory Day address in Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested that the ongoing conflict in Ukraine might be approaching an end, stating, 'I think that the matter is coming to an end.' He expressed a willingness to negotiate new security arrangements for Europe and named former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder as his preferred partner for these discussions. However, this proposal has drawn significant backlash from European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who criticized Schröder's connections to the Kremlin and his involvement in Russian energy projects. Putin also condemned Western support for Ukraine, asserting that it has exacerbated tensions and failed to achieve its goals of defeating Russia. He stated that he would only meet Zelenskyy in a third country after all conditions for a peace deal are agreed upon. A ceasefire was briefly declared, but both Russia and Ukraine accused each other of violations, and the Kremlin has declined to extend the truce despite a prisoner swap agreement.