Vladimir Putin says he hopes ‘nuclear weapons won’t be needed’ in Ukraine

A three-day ceasefire will go ahead next week

Three years since his forces launched a full-scale invasion on Ukraine, Vladimir Putin appeared on a Russian state TV film this weekend in celebration of his quarter-century reign.

"They wanted to provoke us so that we made mistakes," he began, positioned beside a portrait of Tsar Alexander III.

"There has been no need to use [nuclear] weapons... and I hope they will not be required. We have enough strength and means to bring what was started in 2022 to a logical conclusion with the outcome Russia requires."

Elsewhere in the film, the 72-year-old was seen handing chocolate and milk to Kremlin correspondent Pavel Zarubin in his kitchen.

"I don't feel like some kind of politician," Putin added, addressing his 25 years in power. "I continue to breathe the very same air as millions of Russian citizens. It is very important. God willing that it continues as long as possible. And that it doesn't disappear."

This comes after Putin's Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed his enemies were "preparing something" in Belarus while speaking at a summit held in Poland earlier in the week.,

Despite avoiding the specifics, he did share: "This summer Russia is preparing something there, under cover of military exercises. This is how its new attacks usually start."

Commander Oleksandr Syrskyi was also critical of Russia's activity in light of the upcoming three-day ceasefire.

"Despite loud statements about readiness to cease fire for the May holidays, the occupiers have significantly increased the intensity of combat actions, focusing their main efforts on the Pokrovsk direction," he revealed.