Russian President Vladimir Putin has signaled a willingness to engage with incoming U.S. President Donald Trump on a ceasefire in Ukraine, yet he remains unyielding on crucial terms. Putin has explicitly ruled out any significant territorial concessions to Ukraine and insists that Kyiv must renounce its ambitions to join NATO. Despite this stance, there’s an indication from Russian officials that the Kremlin might consider discussions around freezing the conflict at the current front lines, particularly concerning the regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson.
Trump, who has promised a swift resolution to the Ukraine conflict, steps into presidency with Russia enjoying its most formidable position in the war since its onset, controlling a significant portion of Ukrainian land. Amidst this backdrop, Moscow hints at a potential retreat from smaller territories in Kharkiv and Mykolaiv, suggesting some flexibility in negotiations. However, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rebuffed Trump’s peace overtures, emphasizing the need for NATO membership and reluctance to accept territorial losses, highlighting the complexity and delicate balance required for any peace agreement between the two nations.
(As reported by Newsweek)
