Putin uncommitted to any compromises in talks to end war – ISW
Pravda Ukraine
Following US President Donald Trump’s conversations with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as well as the Kremlin’s statements, analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) have concluded that “Putin is uninterested in making any compromises during future peace negotiations”.
Source: ISW
Details: US President Donald Trump held bilateral phone calls with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on 12 February.
Trump said on 12 February that he discussed the war in Ukraine with Putin and that they agreed that their administrations would begin negotiations “immediately”.
The official Kremlin report on the conversation claimed that Putin stressed the need to “eliminate the root causes” of the war and that Putin “agreed with” Trump that “a long-term settlement could be achieved through peaceful negotiations”.
Quote: “Russian officials have explicitly defined the ‘root causes’ of the war as NATO’s alleged violation of commitments not to advance eastward in areas near Russia’s border, which indicates that the Kremlin remains committed to imposing its will and security interests on the United States and Europe and is not interested in compromising on this demand.”
Details: The report also said that Trump acknowledged his phone conversation with Zelenskyy, in which they discussed the war and Zelenskyy’s impending meeting with US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Munich Security Conference on 14 February.
Zelensky said he and Trump discussed opportunities for peace, readiness to work together, and Ukraine’s technological capabilities, including drones. Zelenskyy also stated that Trump shared details of his conversation with Putin and that he and Trump agreed to plan future bilateral meetings.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov and Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev explicitly rejected Zelenskyy’s proposal to exchange occupied Ukrainian territory for territory held by Ukrainian troops in Kursk Oblast during future peace talks.
Medvedev said it would be “nonsense” to exchange Russian and Ukrainian territory, while Peskov said Russia would “never discuss” the exchange of its territory.
Quote: “Medvedev’s and Peskov’s statements further support ISW’s assessment that Russian President Vladimir Putin is uninterested in making any compromises during future peace negotiations and will only comply with a peace agreement that fulfils all of Putin’s maximalist demands in Ukraine.”
To quote the ISW’s Key Takeaways on 12 February:
- US President Donald Trump held bilateral phone calls with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on 12 February.
- Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov and Russian Security Council Deputy Chairperson Dmitry Medvedev explicitly rejected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s proposal to trade occupied Ukrainian territory for territory held by Ukrainian forces in Kursk Oblast during future peace negotiations.
- Denmark’s Defence Intelligence Service (DDIS) assessed that Russia may have the capabilities to launch a full-scale war against NATO in the next five years, which is consistent with ISW’s assessments about Russian efforts to restructure and prepare its military and society for a future conflict with NATO in the medium to long term.
- The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence (MoD) recently launched the “Contract 18-24” voluntary recruitment programme aimed at recruiting 18 to 24-year-old Ukrainians into the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
- Russian leader Vladimir Putin held his first official call with Syrian Interim President Ahmed al Shara on 12 February since the fall of Russian-backed former Syrian President Bashar al Assad.
- The Armenian National Assembly approved a draft law in the first reading on 12 February to commence the process of joining the European Union (EU).
- Ukrainian forces recently advanced in Kursk Oblast and near Toretsk, and Russian forces recently advanced in Kursk Oblast and near Borova, Siversk, Toretsk, Pokrovsk, and Kurakhove.
- Russia’s Shahed drone production rate may be declining.
Support UP or become our patron!