KYIV: Moscow announced on Friday that peace talks with Kyiv are on a “pause.” This comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, still plans to capture all of Ukraine.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump warned that his patience with Putin is quickly wearing thin. Putin has shown no intention of halting his ground offensive or his continuous aerial attacks on Ukrainian cities.
This latest setback in the fragile diplomacy coincides with major military drills between Russia and its key ally, Belarus. It also follows a NATO statement that it plans to strengthen forces on its eastern flank after Russian drones were shot down over Poland this week.
Despite Trump’s efforts to get the warring sides to the negotiation table and his hosting of Putin in Alaska, there has been no significant progress toward ending the three-and-a-half-year war that began with Russia’s invasion.
Moscow’s army continues to advance on the battlefield. Putin has vowed to keep fighting if his peace demands, including Ukraine ceding more land, are not met. “Our negotiators have the opportunity to communicate through channels. But for now, it is probably more accurate to talk about a pause” in talks with Kyiv, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. He added, “You can’t wear rose-tinted glasses and expect that the negotiation process will yield immediate results.”
Speaking at a conference in Kyiv, Zelensky told Western nations not to trust Putin and stated that his maximalist goals have not changed. “Putin’s goal is to occupy all of Ukraine. And no matter what he tells anyone, it is clear that he has set the war machine in motion to such an extent that he simply cannot stop it unless he is forced to fundamentally change his personal goals,” Zelensky said.
Patience ‘Running Out’
The Ukrainian leader also urged allies to encourage China to use its influence with Russia to stop Moscow’s offensive. Trump has repeatedly threatened Moscow with additional sanctions if it does not halt the assault, but has failed to follow through, frustrating Kyiv.
When asked by Fox television if his patience was being tested by Russia’s refusal to end the conflict, Trump said, “It’s sort of running out and running out fast, but it does take two to tango.” He added, “It’s amazing. When Putin wants to do it, Zelensky didn’t. When Zelensky wanted to do it, Putin didn’t. Now Zelensky wants to and Putin is a question mark. We’re going to have to come down very, very strong.”
Ukraine has ruled out making territorial concessions in exchange for a deal and is calling for a Putin-Zelensky summit to break the deadlock. Putin has effectively rejected this idea and has threatened to target any Western soldiers sent to Ukraine as peacekeepers without his approval.
Russia’s invasion has killed tens of thousands of people in Ukraine, displaced millions from their homes, and devastated much of the country’s east and south.
Drone Tensions
Tensions are high across Europe after Poland said on Wednesday that 19 Russian drones had entered its airspace. Three of them were shot down after Warsaw and NATO allies scrambled jets. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the drones flying over his country was not a “mistake,” rejecting Trump’s suggestion that it could have been an accident. He had warned earlier this week that the incident brought Warsaw closer to “open conflict” than at any point since World War II.
