President Vladimir Putin has stated that Moscow disagrees with parts of a US plan to end the Russia-Ukraine war after deliberations with American negotiators at the Kremlin.
At times we said that yes, we can discuss this, but to that we can't agree, Putin communicated in an interview with India Today.
While he did not specify the contentious issues, it is understood that disputes linger regarding the status of Ukrainian territory captured by Russian forces and the security strings attached to Ukraine's future.
US envoy Steve Witkoff, who led the US negotiating team, is set to engage with Ukrainian representatives in Florida. Former US President Donald Trump commented that the discussions were reasonably good, yet it remains uncertain what the outcome will be as it does take two to tango.\
In an earlier statement to India Today, Putin emphasized that Moscow had not received a revised version of the US peace plan prior to their intensive five-hour discussions with Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law. That's why we had to go over every point, that's why it took so long, he remarked.
Putin reiterated the need for Ukrainian troops to withdraw from the eastern Donbas region, even from areas still under their control, underlining that Russian forces currently occupy about 85% of the region.
Either we take back these territories by force, or eventually Ukrainian troops withdraw, he concluded.
Putin's chief foreign policy adviser, Yuri Ushakov, maintained that these talks yielded no compromise towards resolving the ongoing conflict.
In the wake of the negotiations, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybhia accused Putin of wasting the world's time while officials in Kyiv expressed discontent and urge pressure on Russia to conclude the war responsibly.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky remains cautious, having refused to yield any territory and insisting on robust security guarantees in any discussions proceeding forward.
Lastly, recent European concerns have arisen regarding the US negotiations, with leaders cautioning potential oversight of Ukraine's territorial rights and security measures.
