Putin Urges Talks, Demands Ukraine Pull Back

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that the US plan to end the war in Ukraine could be "the basis for a future agreement," but he also warned that Russia would seize more territory by force if Kyiv does not withdraw. He also said that the US plan is not yet final.

Putin ready for "serious talks" with Witkoff

Speaking to reporters in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on Thursday, Putin confirmed that the Kremlin expects a US team led by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to arrive in Moscow early next week. He said the Kremlin is ready for "serious talks." However, after Putin reiterated his strict conditions, stating that the war will end only when Ukrainian forces withdraw from the areas they have occupied, hopes for an immediate solution are low. In his nightly video message, Zelensky said the next week would bring "important discussions not only for our delegation, but also for me personally," without providing further details.

The Kremlin is pushing for more control

According to plplnews, Russia currently controls about a fifth of Ukraine's internationally recognized territory, including almost the entire Luhansk region and parts of Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia.

Moscow now wants Ukraine to relinquish all four regions, even though Russian forces on the ground do not have full control over them.

In recent weeks, Russia has advanced in parts of the eastern border, with the largest gains near Pokrovsk. However, the US research group, the Institute for the Study of War, said its latest data shows that Russia's victory is not certain and that the remaining areas of Donetsk are not expected to be captured anytime soon. Kyiv and its European partners have repeatedly stated that they will not agree to give up any part of the region.

Is Russia not ready to back down?

Putin's comments on Thursday were the clearest indication yet that Russia is unwilling to change its stance, even though US officials, including Trump, say they are making good progress toward ending the war.

His comments come after Ukrainian and European leaders first rejected a 28-point peace plan formulated by the US and then insisted on changes to it, which appeared to be heavily influenced by Russia's interests.

The original proposal included Moscow's key demands, such as reducing the size of Ukraine's armed forces and preventing Ukraine from joining NATO.

Putin said he expects Steve Witkoff to visit Moscow early next week, possibly to discuss a modified version of the plan. He further stated that it would not be correct for him to say that a final deal has already been reached.