Putin, though, refused to give any specific timeline for an end to the war. He said Western claims that Russia was preparing for war with Europe were lies.
He said that Western media should feel ashamed of themselves for their coverage of what Moscow said was a Ukrainian drone attack on a student dormitory in Russian-controlled Luhansk which left 21 people dead.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, speaking after meeting his top commanders, said Kyiv was pursuing its goals to weaken and undermine the Russian war effort, including its long-range attacks on targets associated with the oil industry.
"We are defending ourselves actively and it is important that we continue achieving our goals, primarily targeting Russian logistics and Russia's oil industry," Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address.
"Everything that makes it harder for Russia to wage war helps bring peace closer."
