Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has accused Vladimir Putin of 'wasting the world's time', a day after high-stakes talks between the US and Russia over ending the war in Ukraine failed to produce tangible results.
'Russia must end the bloodshed it has started. If this doesn't happen and Putin just spits into the world's face once again, there must be consequences,' Sybiha said.
Despite the lack of clear outcomes, Sybiha mentioned that the US delegation regarded the discussions as having 'positive significance for the peace process' and proposed further talks in the US.
President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner spent nearly five hours conferring with Putin at the Kremlin. The White House later indicated that they had briefed Trump on a 'thorough, productive meeting'.
The US-Russia summit followed a series of discussions involving Ukrainian and European leaders amid concerns of a deal that overly favored Russian demands. Unfortunately, little headway appeared to be made during the Kremlin talks in addressing the irremediable divide between Moscow and Kyiv's demands.
Putin's chief policy adviser Yuri Ushakov confirmed that 'no compromise' was reached to end the war, citing differing views on key US proposals. Critical issues remain, including the status of Ukrainian territories seized by Russia and the demand for security assurances.
Ukraine and its allies advocate for NATO membership as a deterrent to future Russian aggression; however, Moscow opposes this route, and Trump has voiced his reluctance to support Ukrainian accession to NATO.
Following the recent US visit, Putin implied that his negotiating stance had been bolstered by military advances, with a particular focus on strategic locations in eastern Ukraine. The Kremlin's willingness to continue engagements with the US has not ameliorated tensions with European nations, whom Putin accuses of complicating diplomatic relations.
While the US welcomes the dialogue with Russia, NATO has underscored the importance of positioning Ukraine to sustain its resistance. Meanwhile, the European Union has reached an accord to phase out reliance on Russian gas, reinforcing its commitment to supporting Ukraine's defense efforts during the ongoing war.
