Kremlin Signals Impending Rejection of US-Ukraine Peace Plan, prepares for Controlled Narrative
As a US delegation prepares for talks, the Kremlin is signaling its likely rejection of a peace plan developed by the United States and Ukraine, while simultaneously attempting to manage the narrative surrounding the negotiations. Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesperson, stated Russia will not engage in public discussions about the plan, dismissing negotiations “in megaphone mode” or “through the media.”
The upcoming meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US special envoy Steve Witkoff on December 2nd is already being framed by Moscow as a private affair. Peskov indicated a video recording of the meeting’s beginning will be released, but refrained from commenting on potential public statements afterward, stating “it is indeed still too early to talk.”
This approach aligns with a pattern of Kremlin behaviour, as highlighted by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). Moscow has consistently dismissed previous iterations of the peace plan since it was first proposed in mid-November, asserting it fails to address Russia’s “maximalist military demands.”
Adding another layer to the situation, Alexei Chepa, a russian State Duma official, expressed a desire for the US to reaffirm principles allegedly agreed upon during a 2025 Alaska summit. ISW notes this reference to the Alaska summit is likely a tactic to obscure the fact that Russia is the primary obstacle to negotiations, clinging to its original demands.
Analysts at ISW predict the Kremlin will likely employ a similar strategy during the Witkoff-Putin meeting, controlling information flow to avoid appearing as the party hindering a resolution to the conflict. This includes preparing to withhold details of the talks,perhaps as Russia intends to reject the proposed terms. Russia has previously rejected multiple US-proposed cease-fire agreements that Ukraine had accepted.
On the eve of Witkoff’s visit, the Kremlin announced Putin received a briefing from Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, claiming Russian forces had captured Pokrovsk and Volchansk in the donetsk and Kharkiv regions. However, these claims have not been independently verified by ISW or DeepState.
Andrey Kovalenko, chairman of the Centre for Countering Disinformation, suggests these claims are part of a broader strategy to increase pressure on the front lines and raise the stakes in diplomatic talks, specifically targeting a western audience. Kovalenko affirmed that Ukrainian forces still control parts of Volchansk and have not lost Kupyansk, despite Russian assertions.
