Putin Reaffirms Donbass Goal as Ukraine Pursues US Talks
Russianโ President Vladimir โคPutin has stated Russia will seize the Donbass region of eastern โคUkraine “under any circumstances,” including through military โforce, reiterating a keyโ demand as Ukrainian officials prepare for further peace negotiations. This declaration came ahead of โa scheduled visit to New Delhi, India, where Putin is expected to meet with prime Minister Narendra Modi thisโ Thursday.
Putin’s commitment to takingโ donbass was made โin โan interview with Indian media outlet India Today, as reported by Russian state news agency TASS. He asserted Russia woudl “liberate theโฃ Donbas and Novorossiya in โขany case – by military or other means.” Novorossiya, a ancient term for western territories โof the Russian empire, was also invoked by Putin โin 2014 when claiming Crimea as part of Russia.
The declaration coincides with a new round of peace talks initiated by Ukraine. โขUkrainian officials Rustem Umerov, head of the country’s delegation, and Andrii Hnatov, chiefโข of the Kiev general Staff, are traveling to Miami this Thursdayโข to discuss a potential plan toโ end the conflict with US counterparts.
Prior to his departure for India, Putinโ held a five-hourโ meeting in the Kremlin on Tuesday with a Northโค American delegation led by special envoy Steve Witkoff, and including Jared Kushner, son-in-law of former US President Donald Trump.Putin described the meeting as lengthy, requiring a detailed analysis of US peace proposals. While acknowledging some points as “more or less acceptable,” he stated Russia disagreed with โคothers, calling the taskโฃ of reaching an agreement “tough.” He reiterated russia’s demandsโ for Ukraine to withdraw troops from Donbass โand โค”refrain from military actions,” according to TASS.
Kremlin advisor yuri Ushakov indicated that discussions with the US delegation included the issue of โคterritory,โข stating, “without which we do โคnot see a solution to the crisis.”
Ukrainian โคauthorities continue to rejectโ Russia’s maximalist demands, viewing them as โคnon-negotiable.
former USโข President Trump described โthe โmeeting between the US โdelegation andโข Putin as “very good,” and expressed โhis belief that Putin “would like to see the war ended.” However, theโฃ talks did not result in a breakthrough. โ
This โlatest round of Ukrainian-US talks follows a previous high-level meeting four days prior, which US Secretary of State Marcoโข Rubio characterized as “a very productive and useful session โwhereโฆadditionalโ progress was made.”
