Putin Delivers Ultimatum for Peace Talks, Kyiv Insists on Neutral Territory

The Kremlin is issuing an ultimatum to Ukraine, while Kyiv insists on serious negotiations on neutral territory. Russian President Vladimir Putin once again raised the issue of a possible meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, but under extremely specific conditions that Kyiv has criticized. His statement, made after a military parade in Beijing, sounded like a final warning, combining diplomatic proposals with overt pressure.

"Stop the war through negotiations, or I will stop it with force", Putin said, repeating the well-known Kremlin position that combines a call for peace with a demonstration of military power. Such a statement, made against the backdrop of a large-scale military event, underscores Moscow's readiness to use all means to achieve its goals, putting Ukraine in an extremely delicate position. The Russian leader expressed readiness to receive Zelensky in Moscow, but immediately questioned the point of such a meeting, hinting at a lack of serious intent on his part.

Kyiv's response was not long in coming. The Ukrainian government categorically rejected the proposal as unacceptable and called it a "mockery". Ukraine's Foreign Minister, Andriy Sybiha, sharply criticized Putin's position. According to him, the Russian leader is deliberately making unacceptable proposals, with which he is actually trying to sabotage any constructive efforts for peace. Sybiha stressed that Ukraine is ready for negotiations at any time, but on neutral territory. He announced that at least seven countries, including Austria, the Vatican, Switzerland, and three Gulf states, have expressed readiness to host such a leaders' meeting. "These are serious proposals, and President Zelensky is ready for such a meeting at any time", the minister wrote on the social network X.

The situation regarding a potential meeting between the two heads of state has been developing for months. Back in August, during a telephone conversation with US leader Donald Trump, Putin proposed a meeting with Zelensky in Moscow. Subsequently, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov undermined this initiative, stating that such a conversation could only take place after "careful preparation" and "resolving the issue of Zelensky's legitimacy". This position raised questions about the seriousness of Russian intentions and once again called into question the Kremlin's desire for a constructive dialogue.

Meanwhile, it became clear that tomorrow, after a meeting of the so-called "coalition of the willing" in Paris, Volodymyr Zelensky will have a telephone conversation with Donald Trump. The main topic of the conversation is expected to be new sanctions against Russia. The American president, who is trying to mediate to reach an agreement, said that he supports a meeting between the two leaders, but also spoke about the possibility of imposing additional sanctions on Moscow if Putin does not agree to serious negotiations.

Zelensky, for his part, insists on a direct meeting with the Russian leader to discuss the terms of a possible peace deal. So far, however, the two sides remain in diametrically opposite positions, and the gap between them seems insurmountable. While Kyiv insists on a transparent and equal dialogue, Moscow continues to set conditions that are practically unacceptable to the Ukrainian side, escalating tensions and pushing away the prospects for lasting peace.