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Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a stark ultimatum, demanding that Ukrainian forces completely withdraw from the Donbas region. He stated that Russia would end its military offensive only if Kyiv relinquishes control over the parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts it still holds, warning that Moscow is prepared to achieve this objective "by force of arms" if its demands are not met.
Putin's latest terms appear to be a revision of previous maximalist positions. While he insists on the full cession of Donbas, sources familiar with the Kremlin's thinking suggest Moscow might halt its advance along the current front lines in the southern regions of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. This revised peace proposal also reiterates longstanding demands for Ukraine to abandon its NATO aspirations and maintain neutrality. The Kremlin continues to seek legal recognition for the territories it has occupied since its full-scale invasion began and the 2014 annexation of Crimea.
These remarks come amid a flurry of diplomatic activity aimed at finding a path to end the war. A U.S. delegation is expected in Moscow for talks, and Putin acknowledged that a draft peace plan, reportedly formulated by American and Russian officials and later revised with Ukrainian negotiators, could serve as a "basis" for a future agreement. However, he emphasized the need to finalize "certain specific points...in diplomatic language." Details on the ongoing diplomatic negotiations indicate that territorial control remains the primary sticking point between Moscow and Kyiv.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has unequivocally rejected the idea of ceding territory. He argued that surrendering Donbas is not an option, as the region serves as a critical defensive line against further Russian encroachment. Zelenskyy has warned that any territorial concessions without robust security guarantees would not lead to lasting peace but would instead open the door to a "third war." He emphasized that a withdrawal would create a springboard for a new Russian offensive targeting other major Ukrainian cities like Zaporizhzhia and Dnipro. Kyiv maintains that its sovereignty and territorial integrity, within internationally recognized borders, are non-negotiable. The stalemate underscores the vast gulf between the two sides as the international community watches nervously.
