Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin has asserted that the ongoing conflict in Ukraine could conclude within a month or two if Western nations cease their military support for Kyiv. During an interview with journalist Pavel Zarubin in the Samara region, Putin emphasized that the continuation of Western aid has prolonged the war efforts of Ukraine. According to Anadolu Agency, Putin stated, "They will not last a month if the money and, in a broad sense, the bullets stop. That's it! It will all end in a month or a month and a half, two." He further criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, labeling him "illegitimate" due to the absence of a presidential election since May 2024, despite wartime conditions being cited by Ukrainian authorities as the reason for the delay. Putin also addressed the topic of negotiations, recalling that Zelenskyy had signed a decree in 2022 banning talks with Russia. He argued that any negotiations without repealing the decree would be "illegitimate." He suggested tha t if Ukraine wishes to repeal the decree, there is a legal pathway, implying that the speaker of Ukraine's parliament could cancel the order. The Russian president expressed that a potential agreement between the two nations would need to ensure the security of both Russia and Ukraine. He mentioned that he had previously proposed Ukraine's withdrawal from the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions during early negotiations following the conflict's start on February 24, 2022, but Kyiv opted to continue fighting. Additionally, Putin referred to peace talks held in Istanbul during the war's initial months, noting that Russia had withdrawn from Kyiv as part of the negotiations to prevent "serious bloodshed."