MOSCOW – Russian President Vladimir Putin indicated Thursday that a U.S.-drafted peace plan could “form the basis for future agreements” to end the war in Ukraine, but simultaneously reiterated Russia‘s willingness to seize further Ukrainian territory by force if Kyiv does not agree to withdraw its forces. the remarks represent the strongest signal yet that russia remains unwilling to compromise despite recent assertions from U.S. officials, including former President Donald Trump, of “tremendous progress” in negotiations.
The potential for a deal comes after Ukrainian and european officials initially opposed, then revised, a 28-point peace plan largely shaped by the U.S.and with significant input from Russia. The original proposal reportedly reflected many of Russia’s key demands, including limitations on the size of Ukraine’s military and a permanent bar to its membership in NATO. Putin’s comments suggest a willingness to engage with a modified version of the plan, but underscore that Russia’s territorial ambitions remain a central obstacle to any lasting resolution.
Putin stated he anticipates the arrival of Steve witkoff in Moscow early next week to discuss the latest draft of the plan, the specifics of which have not been publicly released. He added that it would be “impolite” to discuss final agreements at this stage.
The progress follows months of behind-the-scenes diplomacy, with U.S. officials attempting to broker a ceasefire and negotiate a long-term settlement. However,the basic disagreement over territorial control-particularly Russia’s annexation of Ukrainian regions-continues to pose a major challenge. Ukraine has repeatedly stated it will not cede territory to Russia, while Putin has signaled he will continue to pursue military objectives if negotiations fail to yield acceptable results.
