A late-night round of high-stakes negotiations between U.S. envoys and Russian President Vladimir Putin ended without agreement on Wednesday, stalling President Donald Trump’s push for a sweeping peace plan to end Russia’s nearly four-year war in Ukraine.
The five-hour meeting inside the Kremlin’s Senate Palace — the first in-person session between Trump’s inner circle and Putin since August — produced what Russian officials called “some acceptable elements” but failed to resolve fundamental disputes over territory, security guarantees, and the future of Ukraine’s military.
Senior Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov said the U.S. presented a “refined framework” for Trump’s controversial 28-point peace proposal, which has been revised repeatedly following intense backlash from Kyiv and Europe. While Moscow signaled cautious interest in humanitarian and economic components, Ushakov flatly rejected key provisions limiting Ukraine’s military and requiring concessions on contested territory.
“Core issues remain unsuitable,” Ushakov told reporters. “Russia cannot negotiate away realities on the ground.”
Those “realities” include Moscow’s control over nearly 19% of Ukrainian territory — an outcome Kyiv refuses to recognize.
Ukraine Pushes Back as U.S. Tweaks the Plan
The U.S. delegation — led by presidential envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner — arrived in Moscow after a week of intense shuttle diplomacy that included a private session with Ukrainian officials in Miami. That meeting produced several changes to the proposal:
A permanent NATO ban softened to a 10-year membership freeze;
Proposed territorial transfers reframed as demilitarized buffer zones pending arbitration;
Control of reconstruction funds shifted more heavily toward Kyiv;
U.S. share of profits from frozen Russian assets reduced from 50% to 30%.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledged the improvements but insisted that sovereignty and alliances remain “non-negotiable.”
“There will be no deal behind Ukraine’s back,” Zelenskyy warned during a visit to Paris.
Polls show 69% of Ukrainians support a negotiated peace, but 80% oppose ceding land.
Europe Splits as Pressure Mounts
European reactions have hardened in recent days. French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz have urged Washington to remove clauses they say “reward aggression,” while Britain’s Keir Starmer backed a European counter-proposal requiring post-war arbitration over disputed territories.
Inside Brussels, officials warn of donor fatigue after more than €100 billion in aid since 2022 — yet insist any settlement must include Ukraine at the table.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg cautioned that ignoring Kyiv’s red lines risks “legitimizing the use of force in Europe.”
What Russia Wants
Putin set expectations low before the talks, accusing Europe of “sabotage” and claiming Russian forces had seized new ground in Donbas — a claim Kyiv disputes. His negotiating team presented its own four-chapter counterdocument covering peace terms, European security architecture, and U.S.–Russia relations.
Officials say Putin praised Trump’s “initiative” but repeated two non-negotiables:
Russia keeps full control of Donbas;
Ukraine’s status remains permanently neutral.
Analysts say the Kremlin believes time favors Moscow: Russian forces gained more ground in 2025 than any year since the invasion began.
Three Possible Outcomes
1. “Cold Peace” in 2026
A Korean-style armistice with demilitarized zones and reconstruction funding. Fighting stops but political disputes remain.
2. War Grinds On
Most likely scenario: continued fighting, no treaty, and mounting casualties as neither side concedes territory or neutrality.
3. Interim Ceasefire
A temporary U.S.-brokered freeze — front lines hold, humanitarian corridors open, but no legal settlement.
The Stakes Couldn’t Be Higher
Trump calls the plan “not easy, but necessary,” warning Ukraine risks “losing even more” if talks collapse. European leaders counter that a flawed deal could entrench Russian power for a generation.
With more than one million casualties since 2022, and Putin insisting territorial “realities” are not negotiable, the road to any sustainable peace remains perilously narrow.
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