Moscow, May 9 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday (local time) claimed that the conflict with Ukraine is "coming to an end" and blamed the "globalist wing of Western elites" for provoking the war in the first place.

Speaking to the media following the Victory Day Parade here, the Russian President argued that the West used Ukraine as a tool to pursue its geopolitical ambitions, disregarding Russia's interests.

"They are the ones who wage the war against us with the hands of the Ukrainians. And of course, it's very comfortable for them. They provoked this conflict," Putin said.

He cited Ukraine's EU aspirations and NATO enlargement as key triggers of the ongoing confrontation, claiming that Western leaders had repeatedly mis...