President Volodymyr Putin remains committed to continuing Russia’s war against Ukraine after his recent meeting with U.S. representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. According to people familiar with the negotiations, the three‑hour meeting at the Kremlin produced no breakthrough. Sources indicate that Volodymyr Putin intends to bring the entire Ukrainian‑controlled portion of the Donetsk region under Russian control and believes the Russian army can achieve this within the next six months.
Diplomatic efforts and the positions of the parties
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said a phone call between Volodymyr Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump about last weekend’s diplomatic efforts is possible. Dmitry Peskov did not rule out resuming trilateral talks among Russia, Ukraine and the United States, but noted that it is too early to discuss timing or venue. Russian presidential aide for foreign policy Yury Ushakov described Saturday’s talks as “substantive, constructive, extremely frank and confidential”.
On Sunday, the U.S. delegation traveled from Moscow to Kyiv for its first visit to the Ukrainian capital, where they met President Volodymyr Zelensky. “We made progress in Moscow, we have new ideas, and we have brought them to Kyiv,” said Steve Witkoff. Volodymyr Zelensky, who also met national‑security officials from the UK, France and Germany, expressed caution about the talks’ outcomes. He said Ukraine does not expect a quick end to the war, noting that the country is preparing for another harsh winter and aims to strengthen its air defence against Russian attacks.
On Monday, European Union Commissioner for Economy and Productivity Valdis Dombrovskis held online talks with Ukrainian Prime Minister Serhiy Koretskyi about Ukraine’s financial needs for 2026–2027. The European Commission forecasts that Russia will continue the war throughout the coming year. Meanwhile, U.S.-led negotiations to end the five‑year‑old conflict have stalled since February as Donald Trump focuses on the dispute with Iran. In parallel, the far‑right Alternative for Germany party, which advocates restoring ties with Russia, achieved its best result in the German state of Saxony‑Anhalt, winning 44% of the vote. Chancellor Friedrich Merz said this day changed not only the situation in Saxony‑Anhalt but Germany as a whole.
Volodymyr Putin insists on the handover of the remaining Ukrainian‑controlled part of the Donetsk region as a condition for any ceasefire. Ukraine has repeatedly rejected demands to surrender the belt of fortified cities in the area, which Russian forces have been unable to capture since fighting began in 2014. Volodymyr Zelensky stated that territorial issues must be resolved at the “leader level”.
Source: Bloomberg
