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Putin Says Russia-Ukraine Relations Will Normalize after ‘Special Military Operation’

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a plenary session of the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in Saint Petersburg on June 17, 2022. (AFP)
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a plenary session of the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in Saint Petersburg on June 17, 2022. (AFP)
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Putin Says Russia-Ukraine Relations Will Normalize after ‘Special Military Operation’

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a plenary session of the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in Saint Petersburg on June 17, 2022. (AFP)
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a plenary session of the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in Saint Petersburg on June 17, 2022. (AFP)

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday at the St Petersburg Economic Forum that Russia anticipates restoring relations with Ukraine after the "special military operation" in that country concludes.

During a question-and-answer session with Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Putin said: "sooner or later, the situation will return to normal".

Russia deployed tens of thousands of troops to Ukraine on Feb. 24, in what it calls a "special military operation" to demilitarize and "denazify" Ukraine.

Both Ukraine and Western nations say that is a pretext for an unprovoked war of aggression.

Putin said he had no objections to Ukraine joining the European Union following the European Commission's historic decision to back Kyiv's bid to become a member.

"We have nothing against it. It is not a military bloc. It's the right of any country to join economic unions," he replied when asked about the prospects of Ukraine joining the EU.
Russia has railed against Ukraine's attempts to join the NATO military alliance for years, with the issue becoming a major stand-off between Moscow and the West.

Before he ordered tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in late February, Putin had sought legal guarantees from the United States that Ukraine would not be admitted to the military alliance.

Earlier on Friday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the Kremlin was closely following Ukraine's efforts to become a member of the EU, especially in the light of increased defense cooperation among the 27-member bloc.

The issue "requires our heightened attention, because we are all aware of the intensification of discussions in Europe on the subject of strengthening the defence component of the EU," Peskov said in a call with reporters.

Putin questioned whether it was "advisable" for the EU to permit Ukraine to join, saying Kyiv would need huge economic subsidies that other EU members may not be willing to give.

The European Commission recommended on Friday that the EU designate Ukraine and Moldova as candidates for membership, with a third former Soviet republic, Georgia, being asked to meet certain conditions before being granted the same status.

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Pakistan Tests Missile, India Orders Drills amid Kashmir Standoff

In this photo released by the Inter Services Public Relations, Pakistan's Army Chief Asim Munir, second left standing on tank, chant 'long live Pakistan' slogans with soldiers during his visit to witness military exercises, in Tilla Field Firing Range in the Jhelum district, Pakistan, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (Inter Services Public Relations via AP)
In this photo released by the Inter Services Public Relations, Pakistan's Army Chief Asim Munir, second left standing on tank, chant 'long live Pakistan' slogans with soldiers during his visit to witness military exercises, in Tilla Field Firing Range in the Jhelum district, Pakistan, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (Inter Services Public Relations via AP)
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Pakistan Tests Missile, India Orders Drills amid Kashmir Standoff

In this photo released by the Inter Services Public Relations, Pakistan's Army Chief Asim Munir, second left standing on tank, chant 'long live Pakistan' slogans with soldiers during his visit to witness military exercises, in Tilla Field Firing Range in the Jhelum district, Pakistan, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (Inter Services Public Relations via AP)
In this photo released by the Inter Services Public Relations, Pakistan's Army Chief Asim Munir, second left standing on tank, chant 'long live Pakistan' slogans with soldiers during his visit to witness military exercises, in Tilla Field Firing Range in the Jhelum district, Pakistan, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (Inter Services Public Relations via AP)

Pakistan carried out a second missile test in three days on Monday and India said it ordered several states to conduct security drills, as fears mounted the neighbors could be heading to a confrontation over a deadly attack in Kashmir.

Moody's warned that the standoff could set back Islamabad's economic reforms as world powers called for calm.

Relations between the nuclear-armed states have nosedived since gunmen killed 26 people on April 22 in an attack targeting Hindu tourists in Indian Kashmir, the worst such assault on civilians in India in nearly two decades.

India has accused Pakistan of involvement. Islamabad has denied the allegations but said it has intelligence that New Delhi intends to launch military action against it soon.

The countries have shut their land borders, suspended trade, and closed their airspace to each other's airlines, and there have been exchanges of small arms fire across the frontier in Kashmir.

India's interior ministry has asked several states to conduct mock security drills on May 7 to ensure civil preparedness, a government source told Reuters on Monday. They did not say which states or mention Pakistan or Kashmir.

The drills will include air raid warning sirens, evacuation plans and training people to respond in case of any attacks, added the source, who asked not to be named.

Earlier, the Pakistani army said it had tested a Fatah series surface-to-surface missile with a range of 120 km (75 miles), two days after a successful launch of the Abdali surface-to-surface ballistic missile with a range of 450 km.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the successful test launch "made it clear that Pakistan's defense is in strong hands".

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar told journalists there was no communication channel open with India at the moment.

The Himalayan region of Kashmir lies at the heart of decades of hostility between Hindu-majority India and Islamist Pakistan, both of which claim it in full but rule it in part.

India has accused its neighbor of supporting Islamist separatists battling security forces in its part of the region. Pakistan says it only provides diplomatic and moral support for Kashmiris seeking self-determination.

ECONOMIC COST

Moody's said the standoff could hurt Pakistan's $350 billion economy, which is on a path to recovery after securing a $7 billion bailout program from the International Monetary Fund last year and staving off a default threat.

"Sustained escalation in tensions with India would likely weigh on Pakistan’s growth and hamper the government’s ongoing fiscal consolidation, setting back Pakistan’s progress in achieving macroeconomic stability," Moody's said.

"A persistent increase in tensions could also impair Pakistan's access to external financing and pressure its foreign-exchange reserves," it added.

The report comes two days after Reuters reported that India has asked the IMF to review its loans to Pakistan.

India's economy is not expected to see major disruptions since it has "minimal economic relations" with Pakistan - although higher defense spending could weigh on New Delhi's fiscal strength and slow fiscal consolidation, Moody's added.

Iran's foreign minister, who earlier said his country was ready to help India and Pakistan "forge greater understanding" after the attack, was in Pakistan on Monday to meet leaders. He will visit India on Thursday.

Russia said on Monday it was following the situation with great concern and that it valued its ties with both countries.

President Vladimir Putin "strongly condemned" the Kashmir attack in a call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and expressed full support to India in its "fight against terrorism", India's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on X.

Pakistan said on Monday it will "formally apprise" the United Nations Security Council of the situation and call upon it "to exercise its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security by taking appropriate measures".