The BRICS TimesRussian President cautiously accepts US proposal for talks, but insists Kyiv must surrender occupied territories or face military loss in the Donbas conflict.
Putin’s Ceasefire Demands and Military Push
President Vladimir Putin spoke on Thursday. He suggested Russia might accept some parts of a new U.S. peace plan. However, he also issued a strong warning. Russian forces will keep advancing in the Donbas region. This will happen if Kyiv refuses his ceasefire terms.
Putin was speaking at a press conference in Kyrgyzstan. He said Ukrainian forces must leave occupied areas. He stated, “Ukrainian forces will have to leave the territories they currently occupy, and then the fighting will stop.” He then added a threat. “If they don’t, we will achieve this by military means.” He claimed Russian troops are progressing on all battle fronts. He further alleged that Ukraine’s losses are too high. Kyiv cannot replenish its armed forces fast enough.
Questioning Zelensky’s Legitimacy
Putin also repeated a long-held view. He said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is not a legitimate leader. Ukraine delayed its presidential election under martial law. This makes signing any deal with Zelensky “legally impossible.” Putin stated, “We want to sign an agreement with Ukraine, but that is practically impossible, legally impossible.” He stressed that international recognition of any decision is needed.
Diplomacy Surges After Peace Plan Leak
These remarks follow a burst of diplomatic activity. This was caused by a leaked peace plan last week. The Trump administration drafted the 28-point plan. Reports also suggested Kremlin officials were involved. The plan has since been reduced to about 20 points. U.S. officials hinted that Ukraine accepted the revised version.
Kremlin’s Stance on the Proposal
It is uncertain if Putin will support the changes. Sources suggest the revisions are “significantly better” for Ukraine. The original framework was seen as favoring Russia. The Kremlin initially called the 28-point draft “acceptable.” But they maintained it still needed “reworking.”
Putin echoed this view during the conference. He denied active Russian involvement in crafting the original document. This followed his August summit with President Donald Trump. “There was no draft agreement,” he clarified. “There was a set of issues proposed for discussion.” He said the Kremlin reviewed the proposal only after the media leaked it.
Openness to Negotiation Basis
Putin did not endorse all the provisions. Still, he said, “in general we agree that it can serve as the basis for future agreements.” This implies some points match Moscow’s demands. He criticized some parts as legally weak. He mentioned a clause for Russia to codify non-aggression toward Europe and Ukraine. He called this notion “ridiculous, as we never planned to.” He added, “But if they want to hear it from us, fine, we can put that down in writing. No problem.”
Putin also sharply criticized European leaders. They warned of future Russian aggression. He suggested some of these officials are “not quite right in the head.” Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, will visit Moscow. He will meet with Putin next week. They will discuss the revised proposal. This proposal was developed in Geneva, Switzerland.
