President Vladimir Putin has announced that Moscow disagrees with certain elements of a US plan for resolving the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, following discussions with US negotiators at the Kremlin.
At times we said that yes, we can discuss this, but to that we can't agree, Putin conveyed during an interview with India Today. Specific points of contention were not disclosed, but critical issues remain regarding the status of territories held by Russian forces and necessary security guarantees for Ukraine.
The US delegation, led by former envoy Steve Witkoff, is expected to meet with Ukrainian representatives in Florida, as President Donald Trump described the talks as reasonably good, while noting that results may take time.
In his pre-visit statements to India, Putin indicated that Russia had not reviewed a revised version of the US peace plan prior to the intricate discussions that lasted nearly five hours. He emphasized the necessity for Ukrainian forces to withdraw from the Donbas region, which is currently under significant Russian control.
Putin insisted that either territorial advances would need to be made through force or Ukrainian troops would have to withdraw from the contested regions. Meanwhile, Putin's senior adviser, Yuri Ushakov, remarked that the Kremlin talks did not yield any compromises regarding the war.
Ukrainian officials have criticized the negotiations, with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybhia accusing Putin of wasting significant time that could lead to a concrete resolution. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has firmly opposed any territorial concessions and seeks robust security assurances before advancing negotiations.
As momentum builds for potential peace discussions, Zelensky stressed that the world shows a strong desire to end the war, yet conditions need to be reinforced, particularly through pressure on Moscow.
In a significant twist, recent communications among European leaders hinted at concerns regarding the US’s handling of the negotiations, particularly around territorial issues and security guarantees. Various leaders expressed the urgent need to safeguard Ukraine's interests through direct avenues and not leave them vulnerable.
The ongoing conflict, which escalated with Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, remains unresolved, with Russian forces continuing to control approximately 20% of Ukrainian land.
