Russian chief Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky have each held press conferences wrapping a troublesome 12 months of preventing in Ukraine and laying out army goals for 2024.

Here is what we are able to anticipate from the grinding battle subsequent 12 months, within the leaders’ personal phrases:

When will it finish?

Many in Moscow anticipated Russia to rapidly seize Kyiv in 2022, however practically two years later — and with Russian elections approaching — a bullish Putin used the stage final week to vow “victory will be ours”.

“There will be peace when we achieve our goals,” he stated, avoiding any timeframe.

Zelensky stated “no one knows” when the preventing will finish however appeared much less optimistic: he acknowledged that 2024’s presidential elections within the United States — a key army provider and ally — may influence the course of the battle.

Will the entrance line transfer?

Neither facet has made important features this 12 months and analysts say Russia and Ukraine lack assets to mount any severe offensive — for now.

But Putin praised Russian troops for “improving” their positions alongside many of the entrance and observers say Moscow’s troops have been making features in the direction of Avdiivka, a war-battered industrial hub within the east.

Ukraine now desires to entrench as successfully as Russian forces have alongside the entrance, however have additionally gained a foothold on the east financial institution of the Dnipro river into Russian-held territory.

Putin dismissed these features, telling reporters Ukrainian forces have been being ordered into “extermination” from Russian forces.

No negotiations

Both Moscow and Kyiv have dismissed the choice of resolving the battle by negotiations.

Zelensky has dominated out talks with Russia so long as Putin stays in energy, and stated at his briefing that there had been no requests from Moscow for talks.

“I see only arrogance and murder in their rhetoric,” Zelensky advised reporters.

Putin routinely claims that Moscow is open to negotiations however he stated throughout his televised briefing that peace would solely be achieved when Ukraine was “de-militarised” and “de-Nazified”.

Rebuilding the armies

Analysts say that with neither facet capable of mount large-scale offensives, Moscow and Kyiv will work on reconstituting their militaries.

Zelensky stated he desires Ukraine to provide a million drones — a key weapon for the battle — and in addition develop home manufacturing of arms and ammunition.

But he additionally stated he had rejected — for now — a request from the military so as to add as many as 500,000 civilians to the army.

Putin, who’s aiming to curry favour with Russians forward of the March vote, dominated out throughout his press convention any contemporary mobilisation of Russians subsequent 12 months.

He stated that Moscow had voluntarily recruited 486,000 males for the military in 2023 and that efforts to construct up the army subsequent 12 months would speed up.

And he promised to bolster Russia’s defence capabilities, with the economic system turned in the direction of the battle effort and the Kremlin shrugging off the influence of sweeping Western sanctions.

Meagre victories

In a expensive 12 months for either side by which neither made important territorial features, each Zelensky and Putin have been left with little excellent news to supply allies and fatigued residents at house.

Zelensky stated that Ukraine’s army had scored “a big victory” on the Black Sea, the place Kyiv has launched profitable strikes on Russian warships and secured maritime buying and selling routes.

He additionally held his press convention in opposition to the again drop of a big EU flag, after the bloc agreed earlier this month to formally open membership talks with Kyiv.

That was a largely symbolic victory although, since Brussels stays divided on billions of euros in contemporary help for Kyiv, with Washington wavering, too.

Putin, whose army gained a number of small cities within the east this 12 months, survived an armed revolt from the Wagner mercenary group.

He praised Russian society for rallying across the battle effort, because the Kremlin handed laws outlawing any criticism of the battle.