President Vladimir Putin has doubled down on his core demands for ending the war in Ukraine, stating that Russia will lay down arms only if Kyiv's troops withdraw from territory claimed by Moscow.
Putin has long pushed for legal recognition of the Ukrainian territories Russia has seized by force. They include the Crimean peninsula, which it illegally annexed in 2014, and the Donbas, made up of Luhansk and Donetsk, which Moscow now occupies for the most part.
For Kyiv, which has ruled out relinquishing the parts of the Donbas it still holds, rewarding Russia for its aggression is a non-starter.
Speaking to reporters during a trip to Kyrgyzstan, Putin reiterated his belief that Russia has the initiative on the battlefield and that fighting would only cease when Ukrainian troops withdrew from the contested regions. If they don't withdraw, we'll achieve this by force of arms, he said.
This latest statement was the first time Putin commented on the recent diplomatic activity, which involved intense discussions between the US and Ukraine regarding a peace plan drafted by American and Russian officials in October.
The plan, perceived to favor Russian interests, has been revised but does not satisfactorily address the issue of the occupied territories, along with essential security guarantees for Ukraine.
Putin suggested that the new draft could serve as a basis for future negotiations but stressed that specific points must be articulated in diplomatic terms.
He acknowledged the upcoming visit of a US delegation, including special envoy Steve Witkoff, to Moscow next week. Additionally, US President Donald Trump mentioned that Witkoff may be accompanied by his son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Contrarily, Ukraine's top presidential aide Andriy Yermak noted that US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is scheduled to visit Kyiv this week.
Earlier, Trump conveyed that a few points of contention remain between Russia and Ukraine, hinting he wouldn't engage with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky until these issues were clarified.
Putin, in his comments to the media, reiterated his disdain for the Ukrainian government, labeling its leadership as illegitimate, thereby questioning the validity of any potential agreements.
As Ukraine remains under martial law due to the ongoing invasion, questions regarding the legitimacy of President Zelensky's leadership have been raised by pro-Russian commentators.
Moreover, Putin dismissed concerns voiced by European leaders regarding Russia potentially attacking the continent in the future, stating, That sounds laughable to us, really.
