The Kremlin Has No Plans for Substantive Talks Until 2027 – FT
The Russian leadership has no intention of engaging in substantive negotiations to end the war against Ukraine until at least February 2027, according to the Financial Times, which cites sources familiar with the course of private contacts between the parties.
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is convinced that by that time, Russian troops will have fully captured the Donetsk region, and the United States will have pressured Ukraine into making significant concessions.
“Russia’s focus on Putin’s maximalist goals means that Moscow is unlikely to engage in any substantive negotiations until February of next year,” a source in Moscow involved in private talks on ending the war told the Financial Times.
According to another source on the Russian side, the Kremlin continues to count on a shift in the U.S. approach to the Ukrainian issue. “At the moment, the most desirable option for the Russians remains that the Americans ‘hand over’ Ukraine to us,” the source told the publication.
At the same time, the Russian side shows no willingness to compromise. “They don’t even hint at any concessions. They constantly repeat the same goals… Their negotiating positions essentially mean there is nothing to negotiate about.”
As the Financial Times notes, Russian representatives, during their contacts with the American side, insist that it is Washington that must secure Kyiv’s agreement to make substantial concessions. Senior Ukrainian officials involved in the peace process also told reporters this.
The publication’s Ukrainian sources believe that trilateral talks mediated by the U.S. are unlikely to resume before the summer.
Despite the slowdown in the Russian army’s offensive operations, Putin, according to the Financial Times, has tasked his troops with completely capturing the Donetsk region by the end of the year. The publication notes that this conclusion is based on Ukrainian intelligence data reviewed by journalists, as well as information from two individuals who maintain contact with the Russian president.
At the same time, Financial Times sources emphasize that Moscow’s current negotiating position effectively leaves no room for compromise, as the Kremlin continues to insist on its maximalist demands and shows no willingness to revise them.
As a reminder, on the evening of June 30, Russian forces attacked an electric locomotive in the Dnipropetrovsk region with a drone. There were no casualties, as the locomotive crew was warned of the danger in time, and the workers managed to take cover.
Ukrainian drones struck eight of the ten largest Russian oil refineries by processing volume, with some facilities being hit multiple times.
The ISW explained why Russia has scaled back its large-scale strikes against Ukraine.
