(MENAFN) Russian President Vladimir Putin has reiterated that a ceasefire can occur only if Ukraine pulls back its forces from regions that Russia considers part of its own territory.

He addressed this issue during a media briefing in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on Thursday.

Putin traveled to the Kyrgyz capital for a gathering of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), a regional bloc consisting of several post-Soviet states.

Putin reaffirmed Moscow’s consistent stance that an unconditional halt to the conflict with Ukraine remains unacceptable.

As he explained, “We’re still receiving calls for a cessation of hostilities here, there, and there. Ukrainian troops will withdraw from the territories they occupy, and then the hostilities will cease. If they don’t withdraw, we’ll achieve this through military means,” though he avoided directly specifying the areas he referred to.

The Kremlin has dismissed the possibility of pausing the fighting or agreeing to a ceasefire without terms, insisting that such a move would merely grant Ukraine and its Western supporters additional time to rebuild Kiev’s weakened forces with new soldiers and equipment.

Nevertheless, Russian officials continue to assert that the conflict can be settled through negotiation and diplomatic channels.

Putin previously presented Russia’s concept for a workable ceasefire last summer, noting that Moscow would instantly stop military actions if Kiev retreated from all formerly Ukrainian territories located in the Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson, and Zaporozhye regions.

These four territories were incorporated into Russia following referendums held in late 2022, which authorities said passed with overwhelming public approval.

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