Russian leader Vladimir Putin has said that the “special military operation” (“SVO”), as Russia refers to the war against Ukraine, should have been launched even earlier.
Putin said this during a national address spanning more than four hours on Thursday.
He made this remark when asked whether he would change his mind if he could return to February 2022.
The decision to invade “should have been made earlier” he added, before stating Russia could have “prepared for it in advance and more thoroughly”.
He claimed, “Russia has become much stronger over the past two or three years because it has become a truly sovereign country.
“We are standing firm in terms of economy, we are strengthening our defence potential and our military capability now is the strongest in the world.”
The news conference also saw Mr Putin address a possible end to the war, as he said he is “ready to compromise” in possible talks with US President-elect Donald Trump.
He said he was open to meeting Mr Trump, who has pledged to negotiate a deal to end the conflict, saying the two would “have things to discuss”.
“Politics is the art of compromise. We have always said that we are ready for both talks and compromise,” he said.