Russia has made clear that peace negotiations cannot proceed without Ukraine surrendering control of the Donbas region, according to statements from the Kremlin following more than three hours of talks with US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff in Moscow.
The hardline position, articulated by Yuri Ushakov, a senior aide to President Vladimir Putin, represents Moscow's opening negotiating stance as the Trump administration attempts to broker what the president has called "the deal of the century."
"Without resolving the territorial issue according to the formula agreed upon in Anchorage, there is no point in expecting a long-term settlement," Ushakov told reporters following Wednesday's meeting at the Kremlin.
The reference to "Anchorage" points to an August 2025 meeting between Trump and Putin in Alaska, details of which remain classified but which apparently established parameters for territorial discussions. According to Kremlin statements, Russia demands full Ukrainian withdrawal from Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, though Moscow might accept frozen contact lines in Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions.
To understand today's headlines, we must look at yesterday's decisions. This negotiating position mirrors demands Russia made in March 2022, during abortive peace talks in Istanbul, which collapsed after evidence emerged of Russian atrocities in Bucha. Then, as now, Moscow insisted on territorial concessions as preconditions rather than subjects for negotiation.
The current battlefield reality complicates any such demands. Russia does not currently control all of Donetsk or Luhansk, the two oblasts it claims to have annexed in September 2022. Ukrainian forces hold approximately 40% of Donetsk oblast, including the strategically vital city of Kramatorsk. Russian demands therefore require Ukraine to surrender territory it presently defends.
Kyiv rejected the Russian position within hours. "Ukraine will not negotiate the surrender of Ukrainian citizens to occupation," presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak wrote on social media. "This is not a peace proposal. It is a demand for capitulation."
The stalemate presents the Trump administration with immediate diplomatic challenges. During the presidential campaign, Trump claimed he could end the war "in 24 hours," a timeline that has already elapsed multiple times since his inauguration. The Kremlin's opening position suggests Russia sees little incentive to compromise.
European allies, already concerned about American commitment to Ukraine, responded with barely concealed anxiety. President Emmanuel Macron of France called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy within hours of the Kremlin announcement, according to the Élysée Palace. Britain and Poland issued statements reaffirming support for Ukrainian territorial integrity.
The Kremlin simultaneously claims "sincere interest" in political resolution while pledging to continue military operations "where strategic advantage exists." This rhetorical contradiction echoes a pattern established throughout the 34-month war: Moscow engages diplomatically while prosecuting military offensives.
Russian forces currently advance incrementally in eastern Ukraine, capturing an average of 2-3 square kilometers daily according to Ukraine's General Staff, though at severe cost. Western intelligence estimates suggest Russian casualties exceeded 700,000 killed and wounded since February 2022, figures the Kremlin does not dispute publicly.
The negotiating dynamics also reflect shifting great power relationships. China, which has maintained studied neutrality throughout the conflict, sent signals supporting Russian territorial demands through state media commentary. Beijing has deepened economic ties with Moscow during the war, becoming Russia's largest trading partner and a crucial market for sanctioned Russian oil.
Whether Trump's envoys can bridge the chasm between Russian demands and Ukrainian refusal to surrender sovereign territory remains the central question. The alternative, a frozen conflict along current lines with periodic escalations, would represent exactly the outcome three years of warfare has already produced.
The only certainty: peace remains elusive, and the gap between Moscow's demands and Kyiv's red lines shows no signs of narrowing.
