Tensions Over Peace: Putin Pushes Back on U.S. Proposal to End War in Ukraine
Russian President Vladimir Putin has openly stated that several elements of a U.S.-led proposal to end the ongoing war in Ukraine are unacceptable to Moscow, signaling that a final resolution remains distant. The comments, published Thursday, suggest that despite intensive diplomatic efforts, major hurdles persist.
U.S. President Donald Trump has spearheaded the most vigorous diplomatic initiative aimed at halting the conflict since Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine nearly four years ago. However, these efforts have encountered significant obstacles, particularly regarding contentious issues such as whether Ukraine would have to cede territory to Russia and how to guarantee its protection from future aggression by Moscow.
Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, along with his son-in-law Jared Kushner, were scheduled to meet with Ukraine's chief negotiator, Rustem Umerov, later Thursday in Miami for further discussions. This was confirmed by a senior Trump administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Putin described his five-hour meetings on Tuesday in the Kremlin with Witkoff and Kushner as "necessary" and "useful," yet also "challenging," noting that some proposals were simply unacceptable to Russia. He shared these remarks with India Today TV ahead of his state visit to New Delhi, with excerpts reported by Russian state news agencies Tass and RIA Novosti.
Tass highlighted Putin's statement that during Tuesday’s negotiations, the parties had to "go through each point" of the U.S. peace plan, which accounted for the lengthy discussions. He described the talks as "a necessary, very concrete conversation," acknowledging that while some provisions were open for discussion, others were non-negotiable from Moscow’s standpoint.
Trump, speaking on Wednesday, expressed that Witkoff and Kushner left the marathon sessions confident in Putin's apparent desire to reach a deal. "Their impression was very strongly that he’d like to make a deal," Trump said. Still, Putin declined to provide specifics about which proposals Russia might accept or reject, and no other officials offered further details, emphasizing the delicate nature of the negotiations. Tass quoted him as saying, "I think it is premature. Because it could simply disrupt the working regime" of the peace process.
Meanwhile, European leaders, largely sidelined as U.S. officials engage directly with Moscow and Kyiv, have accused Putin of feigning genuine interest in Trump's peace initiative. French President Emmanuel Macron, meeting with China's leader Xi Jinping in Beijing, sought to enlist Chinese support to pressure Russia into a ceasefire. While Xi reiterated that "China supports all efforts that work towards peace," he did not explicitly respond to France's call to influence Moscow.
On the ground in Ukraine, Russian attacks on civilian areas persisted overnight into Thursday. A missile struck Kryvyi Rih on Wednesday night, wounding six people, including a 3-year-old girl, according to city administrator Oleksandr Vilkul. The bombardment damaged over 40 residential buildings, a school, and domestic gas pipelines in President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s hometown.
In Kherson, a 6-year-old girl succumbed to injuries sustained from Russian artillery shelling the previous day, as reported by regional military chief Oleksandr Prokudin. The Kherson Thermal Power Plant, supplying heat to over 40,000 residents, shut down after several days of relentless attacks, forcing authorities to organize emergency measures. Temporary shelters were set up across the city, where residents could warm up and charge electronic devices.
Odesa was also targeted with drone strikes, resulting in six injuries and significant damage to civilian and energy infrastructure, according to regional administrator Oleh Kiper. Overall, officials reported that Russia launched two ballistic missiles and 138 drones against Ukraine overnight.
In Russian-occupied areas of Kherson, Ukrainian drone strikes killed two men and injured a 68-year-old woman, according to Moscow-installed regional leader Vladimir Saldo.
The situation remains volatile, with diplomatic efforts proceeding amidst ongoing violence. But here's where it gets controversial: Can genuine negotiations succeed while attacks continue, or are these talks just a façade for strategic maneuvering? Readers, what do you think—are peace efforts realistic, or are they doomed by underlying mistrust?
Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed.
Follow AP’s ongoing coverage of the Ukraine war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
