Putin Finds US Ukraine Peace Proposal Unacceptable on Key Points, Diplomacy Hits Stalemate Amid Ongoing Attacks

Putin Rejects Key Elements of US Ukraine Peace Proposal, Signaling Stalemate

Russian President Vladimir Putin has voiced strong disagreement with key aspects of a United States proposal aimed at resolving the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. His comments, published on Thursday, signal a significant hurdle in the most intensive diplomatic push by the U.S. to date, spearheaded by President Donald Trump.

Difficult Talks in the Kremlin

Putin described his recent five-hour discussions at the Kremlin with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, as both "necessary" and "useful," but ultimately "difficult work." He explicitly stated that while some provisions were open for discussion, others were simply "unacceptable" to Moscow. However, he declined to specify which points Russia found objectionable, citing a desire not to jeopardize the peace initiative.

Reportedly, the core disagreements revolve around critical issues such as Ukraine potentially ceding territory to Russia and establishing robust security guarantees for Ukraine against future aggression. These long-standing points of contention continue to make a resolution elusive.

Diplomatic Hopes and European Skepticism

Despite Putin's reservations, former President Trump expressed optimism, relaying that Witkoff and Kushner emerged from their marathon session confident in Putin's desire for a deal. Later on Thursday, Witkoff and Kushner are slated to continue talks with Ukraine's lead negotiator, Rustem Umerov, in Miami, indicating the persistent efforts to bridge the divide.

Meanwhile, European leaders, who have largely been bypassed by Washington's direct engagement with Moscow and Kyiv, have expressed skepticism about Putin's sincerity in the peace process. French President Emmanuel Macron, for instance, sought China's intervention to pressure Russia towards a ceasefire during a meeting with President Xi Jinping in Beijing. While Xi affirmed China's support for peace efforts, he did not explicitly endorse France's call for intervention.

Continued Hostilities on the Ground

Tragically, the conflict's grim reality continues on the ground. Russian forces launched fresh barrages against Ukrainian civilian areas overnight into Thursday. In Kryvyi Rih, a missile strike wounded six people, including a 3-year-old girl, and damaged over 40 residential buildings. Kherson saw the death of a 6-year-old girl from artillery shelling, and its main thermal power plant was shut down after days of Russian attacks, leaving over 40,000 residents without heat. Odesa also suffered drone attacks, resulting in six injuries and damage to infrastructure. Ukrainian officials reported Russia fired two ballistic missiles and 138 drones overnight.

Conversely, a Ukrainian drone strike in the Russia-occupied Kherson region claimed the lives of two men and wounded a 68-year-old woman.

These ongoing hostilities underscore the immense challenges facing any peace proposal, even as diplomatic channels remain open.