Putin refuses to budge on demand for Ukrainian territory forward of talks with US in Moscow | EUROtoday

Vladimir Putin has mentioned that Ukraine should surrender territory for a peace deal to be attainable, however indicated {that a} draft plan proposed by the US may kind the “basis” of an settlement to finish the struggle.

In an indication that Moscow stays unlikely to budge on its maximalist calls for, the Russian president mentioned that Ukrainian troops should lay down their weapons and quit on territories claimed by Russia for a peace deal to be attainable.

His feedback got here as Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky introduced that Ukrainian and US delegations would meet later this week for additional talks on safety ensures for Kyiv within the occasion of a peace deal – a key sticking level in negotiations up to now. Separately, US particular envoy Steve Witkoff will journey to Russia early subsequent week.

Ukraine’s prime negotiator Andriy Yermak instructed The Atlantic that Mr Zelensky would by no means enable Ukraine to cede land to Russia as a part of a peace settlement. After an extended week of discussions with US officers, Yermak mentioned that “no one should count on us giving up territory”, in an indication Kyiv won’t fold or appease Russian aggression.

“Not a single sane person today would sign a document to give up territory,” he mentioned.

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Speaking to reporters throughout a go to to Kyrgyzstan, Putin mentioned that Russia would proceed its aggression in Ukraine “until the last Ukrainian dies” if essential to get what he desires.

“Ukrainian troops must withdraw from the territories they hold, and then the fighting will cease. If they don’t leave, then we shall achieve this by force. That’s it,” he said.

The Russian president was speaking for the first time since a flurry of diplomatic activity involving Moscow, Kyiv and the US in the past week.

He said the 28-point peace plan drafted by Washington showed that the US was listening to Russia’s arguments, but that some issues still need attention. Mr Witkoff is expected to discuss the futures of Crimea and the Donbas with Russian officials next week.

Meanwhile, Putin on Thursday claimed the Russian army had surrounded the embattled city of Pokrovsk – although the claim could not be independently verified. The city is a key transport hub, and its capture would pave a clear path to the two biggest remaining Ukrainian-controlled cities in the Donetsk region, Kramatorsk and Sloviansk.

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Kyiv’s top general said Ukraine was pushing back hard and that fighting was still raging in the city centre. Both sides will be desperately keen to take the upper hand for leverage in future negotiations.

The future of claimed territories remains a point of contention in negotiations. Kyiv has repeatedly ruled out handing over what it still holds of the Donbas, and is constitutionally unable to give it up.

Putin said any agreement would still be illegal as Russia does not recognise the Kyiv administration. It was therefore important, he said, to ensure any agreement was recognised by the international community, and that it recognised Russian gains in Ukraine.

A draft of a plan floated by the US and broadly supported by Russia suggested Washington could recognise the regions as de facto Russian, even if not legally.

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“This is the purpose of our dialogue with our American counterparts,” Putin mentioned. He framed Mr Trump’s plan as a set of points up for dialogue, fairly than a draft settlement already into account by Ukraine.

The Russian president additionally denied ideas that Moscow would assault Europe in future, saying that such claims had been “ridiculous”.

The Kremlin has resisted months of American stress to compromise its calls for and finish the struggle, reiterating solely on Wednesday that it could not make any huge concessions to Ukraine. Putin mentioned solely on Thursday {that a} variant of the plan mentioned by Washington and Kyiv in Geneva has now arrived in Moscow.

Scrutiny continues to fall on the makings of a peace plan that fell closely in Russia’s favour earlier than Europe’s involvement. Earlier this week, Bloomberg News shared a leaked recording allegedly displaying Mr Witkoff teaching a Russian official in October on methods to handle the US president.

Donald Trump Jr defended Mr Witkoff’s strategies as “classic negotiation techniques to butter up his counterpart”.

“It’s almost like these media and deep state morons have never successfully negotiated a deal in the real world. It’s pretty obvious that nearly all of Witkoff’s critics want any sort of Ukraine peace deal to fail so they can continue this war endlessly,” he mentioned in a put up.

Russia mentioned the leaks had been a calculated effort to hinder peace talks.

As Russia dithered over prospects for peace, the define of a reassurance pressure of European companions to uphold Ukrainian safety began to return collectively. Turkey mentioned on Thursday it was prepared to participate in such a pressure as soon as a ceasefire had been agreed.

“The Turkish Armed Forces are prepared to contribute to any initiative aimed at ensuring security and stability in our region,” the defence ministry mentioned.

On Tuesday, French president Emmanuel Macron mentioned the pressure would have French, British and Turkish troopers. The US has taken extra curiosity since Britain, France and Germany helped foster progress in the direction of the US and Ukraine broadly agreeing to phrases.