Russian President Vladimir Putin has suggested concluding the conflict in Ukraine along the existing front lines during peace discussions with the United States, as reported by the Financial Times on Tuesday, citing several sources familiar with the talks.
At a meeting in St. Petersburg earlier this month, Putin allegedly informed Steve Witkoff, the special envoy from U.S. President Donald Trump, that Russia could relinquish its claims over parts of four Ukrainian regions still under Kyiv’s control.
The U.S. has proposed its own ideas for resolving the conflict, which include acknowledging Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea and accepting its effective control over territories in eastern and southern Ukraine, according to the FT.
This proposal from the Kremlin is the first indication in three years that Moscow might be willing to scale back its ambitious war objectives. However, European officials quoted by the newspaper cautioned that this could merely be a tactic to pressure Trump into broader concessions.
“There is significant pressure on Kyiv to make concessions so that Trump can declare success,” a European official was quoted as saying by the FT.
Reports suggest that in return for a ceasefire, Ukraine would agree to halt military efforts to reclaim territories, while Russia would suspend its ongoing offensive actions.
Sources mentioned by the FT indicated that Putin might be ready to withdraw his previous insistence on complete control over all four disputed areas, contingent upon Washington making more substantial concessions. This could involve formal recognition of Russia’s control over Crimea and assurances against Ukraine joining NATO.
Later on Tuesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected the Financial Times report, stating, “Many false claims are being made, even by reputable publications, so it’s best to refer to original sources,” as he told RIA Novosti.
Officials from Ukraine, the U.S., and Europe are scheduled to convene in London on Wednesday to discuss the proposals. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky noted that Kyiv has not received an official offer from Trump’s team but would respond upon receiving one.
Anonymous Ukrainian officials speaking to the FT indicated that Kyiv is open to some of the proposals put forward by the Trump administration, although they did not outline which specific ideas. One suggestion had been to deploy a European peacekeeping force in Ukraine to oversee a ceasefire in a designated demilitarized zone.
On Sunday, Trump expressed optimism that Russia and Ukraine would agree to a peace deal within the week. In response, Peskov mentioned he didn’t want to discuss a timeline for a potential ceasefire but stressed that “President Putin and the Russian side remain open to seeking a peaceful resolution.”
Yuri Ushakov, an aide to Putin, informed Russian media on Tuesday that Witkoff is expected in Russia later this week, though specifics regarding his arrival or a potential meeting with Putin were not disclosed.
Some speculate that Putin is delaying ceasefire negotiations until Russian forces fully regain control of the southwestern Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces executed a surprise incursion last August. Reports suggest that Kyiv intended to leverage the Ukrainian-occupied areas of the border region during peace discussions.
Russia’s Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov informed Putin on Saturday that 99.5% of the Kursk region had been “liberated,” with Russian forces continuing counteroffensive operations to remove Ukrainian troops from the area.
Konstantin Remchukov, editor of the Kremlin-affiliated Nezavisimaya Gazeta, stated on Sunday that Putin is “clearly” aiming for the complete liberation of the Kursk region before agreeing to a U.S.-mediated ceasefire to avoid negotiating territory exchanges.
“Once the last 0.5% is liberated, then the troops can halt where they find themselves at that moment,” stated Remchukov, who is believed to have influential contacts within the Russian government.
