STORY: Russia is creating a buffer zone along its frontier with Ukraine, Russian president Vladimir Putin said on Thursday (May 22) during his meeting with government officials via videolink.

"As I said earlier, the decision to create a necessary buffer security zone along borders (with Ukraine) had been already made. Our Armed Forces are accomplishing this task now. Enemy firing points are being suppressed. The work is proceeding", Putin said.

Putin spoke about creating a buffer zone few days after his visit in Kursk region and his phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump. During the call on Monday (May 19), both presidents discussed the prospects of peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian conflict.

Commenting the call, Putin thanked Trump for supporting the resumption of direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv, after the two sides met in Turkey last week for their first face-to-face negotiations since March 2022. He said that Trump noted Russia's aspiration for peace, though the key question was how to move towards that goal.

After speaking to Trump, Putin said Moscow was ready to work with Ukraine on a memorandum about a future peace accord and that efforts to end the war that Russia began with its full-scale invasion in February 2022 were on the right track.

Trump said he made progress during his call with Putin and that he also spoke to the heads of most European nations and Ukra.

According to recent report by the Wall Street Journal, U.S. President has told European leaders that Russia President did not want to end the war in Ukraine. The Kremlin said on Thursday that this report contrasted with its own knowledge.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

VIDEO SHOWS: RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN SAYING HE HAS DECIDED TO CREATE BUFFER ZONE ALONG RUSSIAN BORDER WITH UKRAINE, RUSSIAN ARMY IS ALREADY DOING IT / VARIOUS OF PUTIN MEETING WITH GOVERNMENT IN PROGRESS VIA VIDEOLINK

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: MOSCOW, RUSSIA (MAY 22, 2025) (RUSSIAN POOL - Access all)

1.VARIOUS OF RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN MEETING WITH GOVERNMENT

2.(SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT, VLADIMIR PUTIN, SAYING:

"As I said earlier, the decision to create a necessary buffer security zone along borders (with Ukraine) had been already made. Our Armed Forces are accomplishing this task now. Enemy firing points are being suppressed. The work is proceeding."

4.VARIOUS OF MEETING IN PROGRESS