Putin makes first visit to Kuril Islands, speaks of Russians’ ‘genetic code of winners’ instead of compromise

Vladimir Putin has made his first visit to the Kuril Islands, arriving on August 12, 2026. During the trip, he said Russians carry the genetic code of winners. The remark marks a departure from his earlier approach, when he repeatedly offered to seek a compromise with Japan over the disputed territory.

Since coming to power, Putin has pursued a peace treaty with Japan while insisting on Russia’s sovereignty over the islands, expressing willingness to negotiate on the basis of the 1956 declaration. The two countries also developed economic ties, including projects in the Kuril Islands.

In 2010, then-president Dmitry Medvedev visited the islands, prompting protests from Japan. Ahead of Putin’s return to the presidency, he distanced himself from that visit, saying Russia wanted to achieve an acceptable compromise. Consultations continued through the 2010s, and joint projects in the Kuril Islands progressed.

After Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Japan immediately joined Western sanctions against Moscow. Russia responded by halting peace treaty talks, canceling visa-free travel to the South Kuril Islands, and winding down joint activities with Japan.

Two years later, Putin promised to visit the islands for the first time. Six months after that, he said he saw no grounds to abandon the trip, explaining that he had not gone earlier because he was allegedly too busy.

In 2025, Russia’s Foreign Ministry concluded that there were no prospects for dialogue with Japan on a peace treaty. Putin’s arrival in the islands and his ‘genetic code of winners’ statement signal how far the relationship has moved from the earlier compromise-oriented rhetoric.