Putin tells weary Russians that he thinks war is ‘heading to an end’

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Vladimir Putin says he thinks the war in Ukraine is “heading to an end”. Although wrapped up in military boasts, this is an attempt to appeal to the domestic mood. Russia is losing ground on the battlefield, Putin’s approval rating has fallen to its lowest level since before the invasion, and parliamentary elections are five months away. Saturday’s Victory Day parade was the first one without military hardware on show for 25 years. Putin wants Russians to believe that there is light at the end of a long, dark tunnel. He may also be seeking to parrot Donald Trump in order to get more favourable terms in any US-brokered peace deal. Trump said on Saturday that a cessation of hostilities was getting “closer and closer” every day. Less than 24 hours later, Ukraine and Russia accused each other of breaking a three-day ceasefire.