Putin Expresses Disagreement with Aspects of US Proposal for Ukraine Conflict Resolution

In recent discussions at the Kremlin, President Vladimir Putin conveyed Russia’s opposition to certain elements of a United States proposal aimed at resolving the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. This declaration followed negotiations with US representatives.

“Occasionally, we indicated our willingness to discuss certain points, but there are aspects we cannot accept,” Putin remarked in an interview with India Today.

While he refrained from specifying the contentious issues, it is evident that two significant areas of disagreement persist: the status of Ukrainian territory captured by Russian forces and the provision of security assurances for Ukraine.

Steve Witkoff, the US envoy who led the American delegation during the talks, is scheduled to meet with Ukrainian negotiators in Florida. Former President Donald Trump characterized the discussions as “reasonably positive,” while emphasizing that it is premature to predict outcomes, stating, “it takes two to tango.”

Prior to a state visit to Delhi, Putin noted that Moscow had not received an updated version of the US peace proposal prior to his nearly five-hour discussions with Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law. He explained, “This is why we needed to thoroughly examine each point, which contributed to the lengthy duration of our talks.”

Putin reiterated the necessity for Ukrainian forces to withdraw from the eastern Donbas region, including areas still under their control. Currently, Russian troops dominate approximately 85% of the Donbas territory. “We must either reclaim these areas by force or see Ukrainian forces retreat,” he stated.

Yuri Ushakov, a senior foreign policy advisor to Putin and a key figure in the negotiations, indicated that the discussions yielded “no compromises” regarding the cessation of hostilities. He also suggested that Russia’s negotiating stance had been bolstered by what Moscow claims are recent military successes.

When asked if Witkoff and Kushner believed Putin was genuinely seeking an end to the conflict, Trump replied that it was their impression that the Russian leader “would like to conclude the war.”

However, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybhia accused Putin of “squandering time on a global scale,” while Ukraine’s ambassador to the US stated that they do not intend to wait for Russian assurances.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has firmly rejected the idea of ceding any Ukrainian land, insisting on robust security guarantees in any potential agreement. On Wednesday, he expressed that “the world clearly senses a genuine opportunity to bring the war to a close,” but underscored that negotiations must be “supported by pressure on Russia,” which Kyiv and its European partners accuse of deliberately obstructing ceasefire initiatives.

Zelensky previously mentioned that his chief negotiators had successfully introduced significant amendments to the original US peace proposal, which was perceived as heavily favoring Moscow, during last week’s discussions with an American delegation in Geneva.

In a collaborative statement, US and Ukrainian negotiators announced that they had developed an “updated and refined peace framework,” though they did not disclose further particulars. Senior negotiators from Europe, who had expressed apprehensions about the initial US plan, were also present in Geneva, engaging separately with both the Ukrainian and US teams.

In a related development, Germany’s Der Spiegel reported that it had acquired a confidential transcript of a conference call where European leaders voiced concerns regarding the US negotiations. French President Emmanuel Macron allegedly remarked, “There is a risk that the US will abandon Ukraine on territorial matters without clear security guarantees.”

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz purportedly cautioned that Zelensky must exercise extreme caution in the upcoming days, asserting, “They are playing games, both with you and with us.”

Finnish President Alexander Stubb was also cited as saying, “We must not leave Ukraine and Volodymyr isolated with these players.” The reported transcript has not been verified by outside parties.

Responding to inquiries from Der Spiegel, the Élysée Palace in France stated that “the president did not express himself in those terms,” declining to elaborate further to maintain confidentiality. Stubb refrained from commenting to Der Spiegel, and Merz has yet to provide a statement on the matter.

The White House has also been contacted for a response regarding these developments. Russia commenced its large-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and currently, Moscow holds control over approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory. In recent weeks, Russian forces have been making gradual advances in southeastern Ukraine, despite experiencing significant combat losses.