In remarks released on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that the U.S. plan to end the conflict in Ukraine included some recommendations that the Kremlin finds unacceptable, suggesting that a compromise is still a ways off.
Since Russia began its full-scale invasion of its neighbor almost four years ago, U.S. President Donald Trump has initiated the most vigorous diplomatic effort to halt the bloodshed.
However, the endeavor has once again encountered difficult-to-reconcile demands, particularly on whether Ukraine must cede land to Russia and how it can be protected against Moscow's future assault.
Following the Americans' talks with Putin in the Kremlin, Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff were scheduled to meet later Thursday with the Ukrainian team headed by Rustem Umerov. However, there was no immediate confirmation that the meeting really happened.
An official acquainted with the logistics stated that the meeting was provisionally scheduled to start at 5 p.m. EST at the Shell Bay Club, a golf resort created by Witkoff in Hallandale Beach.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity and was not permitted to address the issue in public since the meeting had not yet been properly publicized.
Putin claimed that his five-hour discussions with Witkoff and Kushner on Tuesday were "necessary" and "useful," but they were also "difficult work," with some of the recommendations being unsuitable.
Before arriving in New Delhi on Thursday for a state visit, Putin told the India Today television channel that the American proposals discussed at the Kremlin meeting were based on previous discussions between Russia and the United States, including his meeting with Trump in Alaska in August, but also included new elements.
"We had to go through practically every point, which is why it took so much time," he stated. "It was a meaningful, highly specific and substantive conversation. Sometimes we said, 'Yes, we can discuss this, but with that one we cannot agree.'"
Trump stated on Wednesday that Witkoff and Kushner left the lengthy meeting with the conviction that Putin wants to put an end to the conflict. "Their impression was very strongly that he'd like to make a deal," he stated.
According to Putin, the original 28-point peace proposal from the United States was reduced to 27 points and divided into four packages.
None of the other officials engaged provided information on the negotiations, and he declined to clarify what Russia could accept or reject.
Trump's peace initiatives were commended by the Russian leader, who pointed out that "achieving consensus among conflicting parties is no easy task."
"To say now what exactly doesn't suit us or where we could possibly agree seems premature, since it might disrupt the very mode of operation that President Trump is trying to establish," Putin stated.
He underlined that Russia will achieve its objectives and annex the entire eastern Donetsk region. "All this boils down to one thing: Either we take back these territories by force, or eventually Ukrainian troops withdraw," he stated.
Putin has been accused by European leaders of pretending to be interested in Trump's peace initiative while Washington keeps them on the sidelines as U.S. officials interact directly with Moscow and Kyiv.
Emmanuel Macron, the president of France, met with Xi Jinping, the leader of China, in Beijing with the intention of enlisting his help in persuading Russia to reach a truce.
In response to France's request, Xi, whose nation has given Putin significant diplomatic backing, stated that "China supports all efforts that work towards peace."
Throughout the night and into Thursday, Russia continued to bombard civilian regions of Ukraine. Oleksandr Vilkul, the chairman of the city administration, reported that a missile hit Kryvyi Rih on Wednesday night, injuring six persons, including a three-year-old girl.
According to Vilkul, the attack on the hometown of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy caused damage to around forty residential buildings, a school, and household gas pipes.
Oleksandr Prokudin, the head of the regional military administration, posted on Telegram that a 6-year-old child died in the southern city of Kherson after being injured the day before by Russian artillery bombardment.
According to him, the Kherson Thermal Power Plant, which supplies heat to more than 40,000 people, went down on Thursday following days of Russian drone and artillery attacks.
He claimed that in order to identify alternative sources of heating, authorities organized emergency meetings. Up to that point, tents were set up all throughout the city so locals could charge their electronics and warm themselves.
According to Oleh Kiper, head of the regional military administration, Russia also used drones to attack Odesa, injuring six people and damaging electrical and civilian facilities. According to officials, Russia fired 138 drones and two ballistic missiles toward Ukraine during the course of the night.
Vladimir Saldo, the regional commander appointed by Moscow, reported that two men were killed on Thursday by a Ukrainian drone strike on their car in the Kherson region, which is under Russian occupation. According to him, the attack also injured a 68-year-old woman.
