Vladimir Putin addressed an expanded session of the council of Russia’s Ministry of Defense on Wednesday afternoon, presenting an assessment of military operations over the course of the year and outlining Moscow’s priorities in the fields of defense and the military industry.

During his speech, he once again described as “lies and nonsense” claims that Moscow is preparing to attack Europe.

Russia has always tried to resolve everything peacefully until the very end, the Russian president said, noting that politicians in Europe are increasing the “level of hysteria” and “terrorizing people” about an inevitable confrontation with Russia.

Putin described the year that is coming to an end as a “significant stage” in achieving the objectives of the operation in Ukraine, stressing that Russian forces liberated more than 300 settlements. According to him, the operations of the Russian army focused on wearing down opposing forces and their reserves, including units equipped with foreign military hardware.

Vladimir Putin argued that the positions seized by Russian forces and the bridgeheads established in recent months create the conditions for increasing the pace of offensive actions in areas described as strategically important. As he stated, “the positions we have taken, the bridgeheads we have created in recent months and, of course, the unique tactical and operational experience we gained in combat allow us to increase the tempo of the offensive in strategically important directions.”

“We would prefer diplomacy, but if the West refuses to talk, we will liberate our historical territories through war,” he added, referring to peace negotiations.

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He also made special reference to the development of the capabilities of the Russian Armed Forces, noting that the country’s defense industry is steadily increasing the production of weapons systems and equipment required by the troops. According to the Russian president, the strengthening of the armed forces is the result of systematic work that has been underway for several years.

Vladimir Putin emphasized that Russia will continue development programs for the strategic weapons systems Burevestnik and Poseidon, while announcing that the Oreshnik missile system is expected to reach operational readiness by the end of the year. At the same time, he stressed that upgrading the strategic nuclear forces remains a top priority for Moscow, as they constitute a key element of deterrence and a guarantee of the country’s national security.

Finally, Putin welcomed progress in dialogue with the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.