With Moscow rejecting compromise and Washington-led peace talks facing uncertainty, Russia and Ukraine remain locked in a tense struggle over territory and security
Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a renewed warning to Ukraine, insisting that Ukrainian troops must withdraw from the eastern Donbas region or Russia will take it by force. In an interview with India Today, Putin dismissed the possibility of a middle ground, declaring that “either we liberate these territories by force, or Ukrainian troops will leave”. Moscow currently holds about 85 percent of the area.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has firmly rejected any suggestion of giving up territory. Kyiv maintains that Ukrainian land is non-negotiable, even as diplomatic efforts continue on multiple fronts.
The comments come shortly after former United States President Donald Trump said his negotiating team believed Putin “would like to end the war” following talks in Moscow. Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, met Kremlin officials earlier in the week and was expected to brief Ukrainian officials in Florida.
The Kremlin said it is now waiting for Washington’s reaction to the Moscow discussions. According to senior foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov, there are no current plans for another meeting with Trump or for a direct Putin-Trump call. Ushakov confirmed that negotiations have produced “no compromise” so far.
The original US peace framework reportedly proposed handing parts of Donbas still held by Ukraine into Russia’s de facto control. Witkoff’s team brought a modified version to Moscow, though Putin said he had not seen it before their lengthy meeting. While some aspects were open to discussion, Putin said Russia will not agree to several unspecified points, including issues tied to security guarantees and occupied Ukrainian territory.
Kyiv has repeatedly accused Moscow of stalling negotiations in order to seize more land. Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybhia said Putin is “wasting the world’s time”, insisting that real progress requires international pressure on Moscow.
European leaders, who have raised concerns about the direction of US-led talks, fear that Ukraine could be pushed toward concessions without firm security commitments. A reported confidential transcript obtained by Germany’s Der Spiegel suggests French, German and Finnish officials warned against any agreement that leaves Zelensky isolated. The BBC has not seen the transcript and leaders have responded cautiously to the report.
Meanwhile, the White House maintained that its team is working to facilitate a “durable, enforceable peace”, adding that discussions have focused on gathering feedback from both sides rather than finalizing a deal.
On the battlefield, Russia continues to push forward in southeast Ukraine despite heavy casualties, according to Ukrainian officials. Moscow now controls roughly 20 percent of Ukrainian territory. With winter conditions approaching and fighting intensifying, diplomatic uncertainties may play an increasingly critical role in shaping what happens next.
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