Putin made these remarks during a conversation with journalists on Saturday. This statement came just hours after Russia's Victory Day parade. This year's parade was one of the most modest events in recent years.
During the parade, Putin praised the Russian troops fighting in Ukraine, calling their actions a "just struggle" against an "aggressive force" supported by NATO.
Later, in an exchange with journalists, Putin blamed the West's "globalist elites" for the war. He stated that after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, a promise was made that NATO would not expand eastward, but later Ukraine began to be drawn under the influence of the European Union.
Then Putin said: "I think this issue is reaching its conclusion."
This year's parade was much quieter than previous ones. Instead of tanks and missile systems moving across Red Square, videos of military equipment were shown on large screens.
