Russian President Vladimir Putin signaled that he views the latest U.S. peace proposal for ending the war in Ukraine as a potential “starting point” for negotiations, even as he issued a stark warning that Ukrainian forces must withdraw from occupied eastern territories if Kyiv wants the conflict to end. Speaking during a meeting at the Kremlin, Putin said Washington’s outline contained “elements that could form the basis of further discussion,” but insisted any settlement must reflect what he called “realities on the ground.”
The Russian leader reiterated that Moscow would not accept any plan requiring it to relinquish control of regions it claims to have annexed, including Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. He argued that Ukraine’s military position had weakened and urged its troops to pull back from areas where Russian forces hold tactical advantage. “Continued resistance will only increase losses,” Putin warned, adding that Russia was prepared to “continue its operations” if Kyiv refused to negotiate on his terms.
U.S. officials described their proposal as an initial framework aimed at halting fighting and opening a path to broader talks, while stressing that any final agreement must respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and be approved by Kyiv. Ukrainian leaders, meanwhile, rejected Putin’s demands outright, saying withdrawal was “out of the question” and accusing Moscow of using diplomacy to mask pressure on the battlefield.
The statements from all sides highlighted a narrow diplomatic window that remains fraught with mistrust. Western governments said they would continue supporting Ukraine militarily and economically, but encouraged “serious consideration” of any plan that could reduce hostilities without compromising territorial integrity. The situation remains fluid as diplomatic channels quietly probe for potential ground to restart stalled peace discussions.
