Putin Signals Obstacles to U.S. Peace Plan, as Ukraine Conflict Enters a Critical Phase
A U.S.-led diplomatic effort to end the war in Ukraine faces significant hurdles, with Russian President Vladimir Putin indicating Thursday that key proposals are unacceptable to the Kremlin. Despite what officials describe as the most intensive peace push in nearly four years, a resolution remains distant as fundamental disagreements persist over territorial concessions and security guarantees.
U.S. President Donald Trump initiated the latest round of negotiations, dispatching special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner to Moscow for five hours of talks with Putin on Tuesday. While the Kremlin characterized the discussions as “necessary” and “useful,” Putin revealed that significant disagreements remain. He addressed these comments to India Today TV before arriving in New Delhi for a state visit, with excerpts released by Russian state news agencies Tass and RIA Novosti.
“This was a necessary conversation, a very concrete one,” Putin stated, acknowledging some areas for potential discussion while firmly rejecting others. “We can’t agree to” certain provisions, he added.
Trump, on Wednesday, expressed optimism following the Moscow meetings, stating that Witkoff and Kushner believed Putin was genuinely interested in reaching a deal. “Their impression was very strongly that he’d like to make a deal,” the former president said. However, Putin’s subsequent remarks suggest a more complex reality.
The specifics of the U.S. proposal remain largely undisclosed, but the core issues reportedly center on the possibility of Ukraine ceding territory to Russia and establishing safeguards against future Russian aggression. A senior administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that Witkoff and Kushner are scheduled to continue negotiations with Ukraine’s lead negotiator, Rustem Umerov, in Miami later Thursday.
European leaders have voiced concerns about being excluded from these direct U.S.-Russia talks, with some accusing Putin of insincere engagement. French President Emmanuel Macron recently met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing, seeking China’s support for a ceasefire. While Xi Jinping affirmed China’s support for “all efforts that work towards peace,” he did not offer a specific commitment to pressuring Russia.
Amidst the diplomatic maneuvering, the conflict on the ground continues unabated. Russian forces continued their bombardment of Ukrainian civilian areas overnight into Thursday. In Kryvyi Rih, the hometown of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a missile strike wounded six people, including a 3-year-old girl, and damaged over 40 residential buildings, a school, and gas infrastructure, according to city administration head Oleksandr Vilkul.
Tragically, a 6-year-old girl died in Kherson after being wounded by Russian artillery shelling the previous day, regional military administration chief Oleksandr Prokudin reported. The Kherson Thermal Power Plant, vital for heating over 40,000 residents, has been forced to shut down after days of sustained drone and artillery attacks, prompting authorities to prepare emergency heating solutions. Additionally, six people were wounded in a drone strike on Odesa, causing damage to civilian and energy infrastructure. In total, officials reported that Russia launched two ballistic missiles and 138 drones at Ukraine overnight.
Meanwhile, in the Russia-occupied Kherson region, a Ukrainian drone strike killed two men and wounded a 68-year-old woman, according to Moscow-installed regional leader Vladimir Saldo.
The ongoing violence underscores the immense challenges facing any potential peace process, even as diplomatic efforts continue. The path forward remains uncertain, and a lasting resolution appears increasingly elusive.
