Putin hints at talks and could withdraw troops from key region, report says – as diplomat says escalation could see him removed | War latest

Russia is sitting in “atmosphere of hopelessness”, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said in his nightly address.

As Ukraine marked its Defenders Day today, Mr Zelenskyy said: “Russia is already in the atmosphere of its defeat, already in the atmosphere of hopelessness for itself.

“They still have the opportunity to terrorise our cities and all Europeans, blackmail the world, but they have no chance and they won’t because Ukraine is moving forward.”

The comments come after Vladimir Putin said today Russia’s partial mobilisation would be over in two weeks.

In a wide-ranging speech in the Kazakh capital Astana, Mr Putin also said there were no plans for additional military mobilisation in Russia.

In September, Russia’s defence minister Sergei Shoigu said Russia would draft 300,000 reservists to support its military campaign after Mr Putin ordered the partial mobilisation.

The move appeared to be an admission Moscow’s war in Ukraine was not going to plan.

But the Russian president told the news conference today he ordered the partial mobilisation because it was “impossible to hold the front using only contracted servicemen”.

He added 16,000 mobilised troops were already engaged in military tasks.

Mr Putin also said he was open to the idea of talks with Ukraine, adding: “We have always said this.”