‘No Compromise Was Reached’

Vladimir Putin’s negotiations with the US intermediary on ending the war in Ukraine were “very useful,” according to a senior aide to the Russian president, though meaningful progress remains distant. The remarks came as Ukrainian and European representatives prepared for a meeting in Brussels.

Yuri Ushakov said Putin and US special envoy Steve Witkoff spent nearly five hours in Moscow discussing the “essence” of the American proposals aimed at reaching a peace settlement between Ukraine and Russia. Some ideas were considered acceptable in the Kremlin, he noted, while others triggered “critical and even negative reactions,” and Putin “did not hide that.” “No compromise was found,” Ushakov said.

Volodymyr Zelensky said his national security adviser, Rustem Umerov, will hold talks with European counterparts in Brussels on Wednesday. According to Zelensky, Umerov and other Ukrainian representatives intend “to brief colleagues in Europe on what is known following yesterday’s contacts with the American side in Moscow, as well as to discuss the European component of the necessary security architecture.” The consultations take place ahead of planned talks in the United States with members of Donald Trump’s administration, marking another step in an active diplomatic exchange over a potential peace agreement.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Russia has not rejected Trump’s plan and that the dialogue will continue behind closed doors. According to Interfax, Peskov described the talks as “the first such direct exchange of views,” noting that “some proposals were accepted, others were deemed unacceptable, and this is a normal working process of seeking compromise.” The Kremlin stressed that consultations at the level of special envoys and advisers will continue, and any potential meeting between Putin and Trump will depend on the outcome.

Witkoff’s trip to Moscow came after Russian authorities signaled readiness to discuss a US peace plan drafted with Moscow’s input. Jared Kushner, the American president’s son-in-law, also attended the Kremlin meeting. Yet the Russian side made clear it opposes the revised, shortened version of the plan, which was amended at Kyiv’s request. The full text of the updated proposal has not been released.

Ushakov said that several versions of a peace document were discussed during the talks between Putin and Witkoff. Among the issues raised were territorial questions and potential avenues for economic cooperation between Russia and the United States. The central sticking point, however, remains Moscow’s demand that Ukrainian forces withdraw from the one-fifth of Donetsk region they currently control.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte described the Moscow consultations as “important,” but stressed that the alliance must maintain pressure on Russia if the negotiations fail. “I hope this produces results. But if the process drags on or reaches an impasse, the best way to influence Russia is to ensure it understands that weapons supplies to Ukraine will continue,” he said. Rutte added that this should be accompanied by stronger sanctions pressure: “That is the best way to change Putin’s calculus.”

According to Ushakov, some of the US territorial proposals were “more or less acceptable,” while others were unacceptable to the Kremlin. At a cabinet meeting, Trump called the effort to end the conflict “a difficult undertaking.”

Earlier, Putin publicly accused European countries of undermining US initiatives to halt the war. “They have no peace agenda. They are on the side of war,” he said. In a speech laced with threats, Putin vowed to “deprive Ukraine entirely of access to the sea” in response to Kyiv’s attacks on tankers linked to Russia. He added: “We are not going to fight Europe—I have said this a hundred times. But if Europe decides to start a war, we are ready right now.”