Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday issued fresh conditions for ending the war in Ukraine, saying Moscow would halt its offensive only if Ukrainian forces withdrew from territories Russia claims as its own — otherwise, he warned, his military would seize them by force.
During a visit to Kyrgyzstan, Putin said Russia’s campaign would continue until its objectives were met, even as his troops push forward in brutal, grinding battles across eastern Ukraine where Kyiv’s defenders remain heavily outgunned.
Washington has renewed diplomatic efforts to stop the nearly four-year conflict, rolling out a revised peace proposal after backlash over an initial draft crafted without European input. The updated plan, now trimmed to roughly 20 points, has not been released publicly.
Putin acknowledged seeing the new proposal, calling it a possible foundation for negotiations, though major sticking points remain particularly the status of occupied territories, which Ukraine insists it will never surrender.
Russia currently holds about one-fifth of Ukraine. The question of territorial control remains the central obstacle to any peace deal, along with Kyiv’s demand for Western security guarantees to prevent future aggression.
U.S. negotiator Steve Witkoff is expected in Moscow next week for further discussions on the revised document, while U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is due in Kyiv for consultations, senior Ukrainian aide Andriy Yermak said.
Putin also doubled down on claims that Russian forces have encircled Ukrainian troops in Pokrovsk and Myrnograd in Donetsk — an assertion Ukraine flatly denies, insisting its defensive lines remain intact. He further listed advances in Vovchansk, Siversk, and toward the strategic hub of Guliaipole.
Declaring the Russian advance “practically impossible to hold back”, Putin argued that nothing significant could stop Moscow’s momentum on the battlefield.
He also raised doubts about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s legitimacy, saying it would be “almost impossible” to sign a binding agreement with him — a statement that has been dismissed by Kyiv and criticised by its allies.
