The head of the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin, during a press conference in Bishkek, stated that hostilities in Ukraine can only cease on the condition that the Armed Forces of Ukraine withdraw from the occupied territories of Donbas. "Ukrainian troops will leave the territories they occupy - then hostilities will cease," he said.
According to Putin, if the Ukrainian army does not leave these territories, Russia "will achieve this by military means." He made this statement against the backdrop of proposals for a peace plan being discussed among the USA, European partners, and Ukraine.
Official position of the Russian Federation
Putin noted that Moscow "wants to negotiate" with Kyiv, but believes that under the conditions of martial law, this is legally impossible. He also emphasized that signing documents with the Ukrainian leadership is pointless.
Negotiations between the USA and Ukraine
At the same time, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is reportedly trying to discuss opportunities for resuming dialogue with the USA. The United States initiated peace talks, during which, as reported, Russia refused to contact anyone other than Trump’s administration.
Expert opinions
Experts note that Putin has no incentives to change his objectives in Ukraine. Political scientist Tatyana Stanovaya believes that the Russian president is confident in his positions on the battlefield and can wait until Kyiv recognizes its defeat.
The Kremlin also rules out the possibility of ending the conflict without fulfilling key territorial demands. As Boris Bondarev, a former employee of the Russian mission to the UN, points out, the Kremlin will reject even a revised peace plan if it does not take Russian interests into account.
Thus, the situation in Donbas remains tense, and the prospects for a peaceful resolution are not entirely clear.
