"Massive Map Unveils Putin's Disturbing Ukraine Ambitions During His Annual Phone-In Extravaganza"

A GIANT map that was flashed behind Vladimir Putin during a tightly-orchestrated Kremlin phone-in has revealed Russia’s true ambitions on Ukraine war.

The hosted his annual news conference, a staple of his 25-year rule, where he sent a blunt message to Ukraine and Europe.

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during his annual joint call-in show and press conferenceCredit: Getty A giant map of Russia that included Ukrainian territory continued to flash behind Putin’s shouldersCredit: AP Putin sent a blunt message to Ukraine and EuropeCredit: Reuters

As Putin spoke at the almost five-hour marathon event, which is watched by millions of Russians every year, a giant map of Russia continued to flash behind his shoulders.

But the map showed the entire eastern Ukraine, including the Donbas region, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, as well as Crimea as part of the Russian territory.

Russian forces have yet to conquer these territories in their entirety, but that hasn’t stopped Putin from claiming them as part of his empire.

Diplomats from Ukraine, Europe, the US, and Russia have been embroiled in complex negotiations for months, exchanging proposals and counter-proposals in an effort to reach a consensus and stop the war.

Though they snagged on one key issue: Ukraine’s eastern territory.

Putin was to take over parts of eastern Ukraine – even parts he has yet to conquer.

But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky maintains he has no “constitutional” or “moral” right to cede territory.

Amid all this, by flashing parts of Ukraine as Russian territory, Moscow has sent a strong signal: Putin has no intention of giving up his ambition of land-grabbing a huge chunk of the war-torn country.

Putin also hailed Moscow’s recent battlefield gains on the frontline and threatened more action unless Kyiv – and by extension, Europe – bows down to his deranged demands.

He also denied dragging out settlement talks and turning down proposals — claiming Moscow had agreed to “some compromises” — without elaborating.

Putin said: “At our meeting with President Trump in Anchorage, we practically agreed to President Trump’s proposals.

“Therefore, to say that we are rejecting anything is completely incorrect and has no basis.

“At preliminary meetings in Moscow, proposals were made to us, and we were asked to make certain compromises. When I arrived in Anchorage, I said that these would not be easy decisions for us, but we agreed to the compromises being proposed.

“The ball is now fully and completely on the side of our Western opponents… first of all the head of the Kyiv regime and their European sponsors,” Putin added.

Putin praised President Donald Trump for his “serious efforts” to bring an end to the war.

“President Trump is making serious efforts to end this conflict. He is doing so with complete sincerity,” Putin said.

Zelensky has said that the US is still pushing for Kyiv to make big territorial concessions to Russia to halt the war.

His recent remarks appear to show not much has changed – apart from the proposed security guarantees – in Washington’s core position on how the conflict should end since it sent a 28-point plan to Kyiv last month that heavily favoured Russia.

Putin attends the annual special televised question-and-answer session and year-end news conferenceCredit: Getty The president was inundated with questionsCredit: Getty

The 73-year-old repeatedly says that Moscow will seize the rest of Ukrainian land he has proclaimed as Russian by force if talks fail.

Putin said that Russia’s recent advances in Ukraine should force Kyiv to agree to a deal — that original version of which included Ukraine ceding land to Moscow.

Listing a string of cities and towns in eastern Ukraine now eyed by the Russian army, the Kremlin chief said he was certain Moscow would soon capture more settlements.

“Our troops are advancing along the entire line of contact,” Putin said.

“I’m sure that before the end of this year, we will still witness new success,” he added.

Cold-hearted Vlad

Putin said Friday he did not feel personally responsible for the tens of thousands of people killed since Moscow launched its offensive, which has become Europe’s worst conflict since World War II.

“We did not start this war,” he said, repeating a frequent narrative pushed by Moscow throughout the conflict.

“We do not consider ourselves responsible for the loss of life.”

Putin’s annual phone-in came just a day after dithering EU leaders failed to give £180billion worth of frozen Russian assets to Ukraine.

After almost four years of war, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates that Ukraine will need £120billion over the next two years.

The government in Kyiv is on the verge of bankruptcy and desperately needs the money by spring.

The plan had been to use some of the £180billion worth of Russian assets that are frozen in Europe, mostly in Belgium.

But Putin threatened retaliation if the decision to use Moscow‘s assets was passed.

EU leaders failed to give £180billion worth of frozen Russian assets to UkraineCredit: EPA Putin called the attempted scheme of giving Russian assets to Ukraine ‘a robbery’Credit: Reuters

He called the attempted scheme “a robbery” and promised that Moscow would defend its interests

“But why can’t they carry out this robbery? Because the consequences could be severe for the robbers,” Putin added.

EU instead agreed to provide a loan of £79billion that will keep Kyiv financially afloat and in the fight against the Russians for the next two years.

But the loan comes at the EU’s own expense rather than Moscow‘s frozen assets.

EU leaders worked deep into Thursday night to reassure Brussels that they would protect it from any Russian retaliation if it backed the reparations loan plan.

But the reparations loan proposal faced strong resistance from Belgium, home to the bulk of the £180billion of Russian assets in the EU.

The plan got bogged down as Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever rejected the scheme as legally risky – and warned that it could harm their financial institutions.

Putin’s embarrassment

Sarcastic messages briefly flashed up on a big screen in the hall where Putin was holding his annual press conference and “direct line” phone-in.

“Not a direct line, but a circus,” said one such comment.

Another, using Putin’s first name and patronymic, read: “Vladimir Vladimirovich, it’s Friday already, can we break out the booze?”

The rogue comments appeared on screens showing incoming text messages intended for Putin at the marathon annual event, for which ordinary Russians are encouraged to submit questions.

The Kremlin did not immediately comment on their appearance at what is a meticulously planned and choreographed press conference watched by millions of Russians. Putin did not refer to them.

One message, alluding to the state of Russia’s economy, asked why ordinary Russians were worse off than people in Papua New Guinea.

Another, referring to Putin’s governing United Russia party, said: “Looking at life in the country, it is strange that it wins a majority in elections! Maybe elections are a fiction?”

Sarcastic messages briefly flashed up on a big screen in the hall where Putin was holding his annual press conferenceCredit: AP