Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged Wednesday to continue fighting in Ukraine if no peace deal is reached with Kyiv, while asserting that Russian forces are advancing along the entire front line.

Speaking to reporters in Beijing, Putin said: “I believe there is light at the end of the tunnel. Let’s see how the situation develops. If no agreement is reached, we will have to resolve all our issues militarily.” He added that Russian troops “are advancing on all fronts” more than three years into the war, according to AFP.

On Tuesday, Putin also stressed that any settlement to the conflict must not undermine Russia’s security, underscoring the Kremlin’s conditions for ending the war that began in February 2022.