Putin Says Ukraine’s Statehood at Risk If Pattern of War Continues

 In this pool photograph distributed by Russian state agency Sputnik, Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with heads of municipalities in the constituent entities of Russia as part of the All-Russian Municipal Forum "Small Motherland - the Strength of Russia", in the Moscow region on January 16, 2024. (Photo by Sergei Savostyanov / Pool / AFP)
In this pool photograph distributed by Russian state agency Sputnik, Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with heads of municipalities in the constituent entities of Russia as part of the All-Russian Municipal Forum "Small Motherland - the Strength of Russia", in the Moscow region on January 16, 2024. (Photo by Sergei Savostyanov / Pool / AFP)
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Putin Says Ukraine’s Statehood at Risk If Pattern of War Continues

 In this pool photograph distributed by Russian state agency Sputnik, Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with heads of municipalities in the constituent entities of Russia as part of the All-Russian Municipal Forum "Small Motherland - the Strength of Russia", in the Moscow region on January 16, 2024. (Photo by Sergei Savostyanov / Pool / AFP)
In this pool photograph distributed by Russian state agency Sputnik, Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with heads of municipalities in the constituent entities of Russia as part of the All-Russian Municipal Forum "Small Motherland - the Strength of Russia", in the Moscow region on January 16, 2024. (Photo by Sergei Savostyanov / Pool / AFP)

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that Ukraine's statehood could suffer an "irreparable blow" if the pattern of the war continued, and Russia would never be forced to abandon the gains it had made.

Putin made his televised comments a day after Switzerland agreed to host a global summit at the request of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

Putin dismissed "so-called peace formulas" being discussed in the West and Ukraine and what he called the "prohibitive demands" they entailed.

"Well, if they don't want (to negotiate), then don't!" he said.

"Now it is quite obvious, not only (Ukraine's) counter-offensive failed, but the initiative is completely in the hands of the Russian armed forces. If this continues, Ukrainian statehood may suffer an irreparable, very serious blow."

Putin's statements about the course of the war have become increasingly confident and aggressive in recent months, with the failure of Ukraine's counter-offensive to deliver any substantial gains against well-entrenched Russian forces.

Russia currently controls 17.5% of the territory of Ukraine.

Putin said talk of negotiation was "an attempt to motivate us to abandon the gains that we have realized over the past year and a half. But this is impossible. Everyone understands that this is impossible."

A peace formula put forward by Zelenskiy calls for the restoration of Ukraine's territorial integrity, cessation of hostilities and withdrawal of Russian troops, among other points.

Russia says any negotiation would have to take account of the "new realities" created by its forces on the ground.



Pro-Palestinian Activists Charged with Damaging Planes at UK Air Base are Held in Custody

An activist from Palestine Action sprays a military aircraft engine with red paint at RAF Brize Norton, to damage it, in Carterton, Britain, June 20, 2025, in this still image obtained from handout video. The group's action was in protest of British military assistance to Israel, claiming that they, "interrupted Britain's direct participation in the commission of genocide and war crimes across the Middle East", stating on their website. Palestine Action/Handout via REUTERS/File photo
An activist from Palestine Action sprays a military aircraft engine with red paint at RAF Brize Norton, to damage it, in Carterton, Britain, June 20, 2025, in this still image obtained from handout video. The group's action was in protest of British military assistance to Israel, claiming that they, "interrupted Britain's direct participation in the commission of genocide and war crimes across the Middle East", stating on their website. Palestine Action/Handout via REUTERS/File photo
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Pro-Palestinian Activists Charged with Damaging Planes at UK Air Base are Held in Custody

An activist from Palestine Action sprays a military aircraft engine with red paint at RAF Brize Norton, to damage it, in Carterton, Britain, June 20, 2025, in this still image obtained from handout video. The group's action was in protest of British military assistance to Israel, claiming that they, "interrupted Britain's direct participation in the commission of genocide and war crimes across the Middle East", stating on their website. Palestine Action/Handout via REUTERS/File photo
An activist from Palestine Action sprays a military aircraft engine with red paint at RAF Brize Norton, to damage it, in Carterton, Britain, June 20, 2025, in this still image obtained from handout video. The group's action was in protest of British military assistance to Israel, claiming that they, "interrupted Britain's direct participation in the commission of genocide and war crimes across the Middle East", stating on their website. Palestine Action/Handout via REUTERS/File photo

Four pro-Palestinian protesters were held in custody Thursday after their first appearance in a London court on charges they damaged two Royal Air Force planes with red paint and crowbars.

The charges come after the group Palestine Action said two of its members entered RAF Brize Norton on June 20 and used electric scooters to approach two Voyager jets used for air-to-air refueling. The protesters used repurposed fire extinguishers to spray paint into the planes’ jet engines and caused further damage with crowbars, according to the group, which released video footage of the incident, The AP news reported.

The four, all between the ages of 22 and 35, are charged with conspiracy to commit criminal damage and conspiracy to enter a prohibited place for purposes prejudicial to the interests of the UK, counterterror police said in a statement. The Crown Prosecution Service will argue that the offenses have a “terrorist connection,” police said.

The group did not enter pleas in Westminster Magistrates’ Court. They were scheduled to appear July 18 at the Central Criminal Court.

Palestine Action has claimed responsibility for a series of incidents targeting Israeli defense contractors in the UK and other sites linked to the war in Gaza.

Following the incident at RAF Brize Norton, the government introduced legislation to ban Palestine Action as a terrorist organization. The measure, being debated in Parliament, would make it a criminal offense to belong to or support the group, with a maximum of 14 years in prison.

Palestine Action said its protests are designed to end international support for Israel’s war in Gaza.

Planes from Brize Norton, 70 miles (112 kilometers) northwest of London, regularly fly to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, Britain’s main air base for operations in the Middle East.