Russian President Vladimir Putin has indicated that a draft peace plan, previously discussed by the United States and Ukraine, could serve as a foundation for future negotiations to conclude the ongoing conflict. However, Putin emphatically stated that any prospective deal would necessitate Ukraine's surrender of territory. He acknowledged that the version of the plan, which was shared with Moscow after discussions between Washington and Kyiv in Geneva, showed the American side considering Russia's position in some aspects, though other points clearly require further dialogue.

Despite White House optimism, Putin's uncompromising stance suggests minimal movement on the core issues needed to end the war. During a working visit to Kyrgyzstan, he reiterated his condition for halting Russia's offensive: Ukrainian forces must withdraw from unspecified territories currently under Kyiv's control. Putin declared that if Ukrainian troops do not comply, Russia would achieve its objectives militarily. He also repeated his assertion that Ukraine’s leadership, specifically Volodymyr Zelenskyy, is “illegitimate,” which he claims makes it legally impossible to sign a binding agreement with Kyiv, suggesting any future settlement would require broader international recognition.

Putin also confirmed the upcoming visit of US special envoy Steve Witkoff to Russia. He dismissed accusations of Witkoff showing bias towards Moscow during peace discussions as “nonsense.” Witkoff, known as a longtime Trump business associate and property developer, has faced criticism in Europe and the US following a leaked phone call where he reportedly advised a senior Kremlin aide on how Putin should manage negotiations with Trump.

Russia's current negotiating approach mirrors tactics employed since Trump's re-election: the Kremlin signals a readiness to explore potential peace deals while simultaneously demonstrating no intent to retreat from its maximalist demands. These demands, which are largely viewed by Kyiv as unacceptable and tantamount to capitulation, include requirements for Ukraine to voluntarily cede territory that Moscow has not successfully seized militarily. Additionally, the leaked 28-point plan, developed by US and Russian officials, suggests Ukraine would be expected to accept reductions or a halt to US military assistance, and any future deployment of Western troops to Ukraine—including those envisioned under the Franco-British “coalition of the willing”—would be explicitly prohibited.

Conversely, Ukraine has firmly rejected any notion of territorial concession. Andriy Yermak, Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, told The Atlantic magazine that as long as Zelenskyy is president, Ukraine will not give up any land for peace, and the president “will not sign away territory.” Independent Russian political analyst Tatiana Stanovaya noted that she currently sees nothing that would compel Putin to reassess his objectives or abandon his core demands. She added that Putin feels more confident than ever about the battlefield situation and is convinced he can wait until Kyiv ultimately accepts that it cannot win and must negotiate on Russia’s well-known terms.