Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that there is no need for new massive attacks on Ukraine and that Russia does not seek to destroy the country, Reuters reports.

At a press conference at the end of the summit in Kazakhstan, Putin said that the mobilization of Russian reservists will end in two weeks and that there are no plans for further mobilization.

He also reiterated the Kremlin’s position that Russia is ready to negotiate, although he said they would need international mediation if Ukraine wanted to participate.

Taken together, Putin’s comments suggest a softening of his tone as the war nears the end of its eighth month, following weeks of Ukrainian advances and heavy Russian defeats.

But he is speaking after a week in which Russia launched its biggest missile strikes on Kiev and other Ukrainian cities since the start of its invasion on February 24, an action Putin called revenge after an attack that damaged Russia’s Kerch Bridge, which connects Russia to the annexed Crimean peninsula.

“We did not aim to destroy Ukraine. No, of course not,” Putin said.

He said there was now “no need for massive attacks” as most of the identified targets had been hit.

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