Russian President Vladimir Putin stated during a press conference in Bishkek on November 27 that hostilities in Donbas will only end when the Ukrainian Armed Forces leave the territories they control. According to him, there is currently a “positive dynamic” on the front for the Russian side.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Negotiations in Geneva and the peace agreement draft
Putin expressed the opinion that the outcomes of the recent negotiations between the Ukrainian and American delegations in Geneva could potentially serve as the basis for future peace agreements. He also reported that after his visit to Alaska in August, where he met with U.S. President Donald Trump, a list of possible peace points emerged – a total of 28 positions. Some of these provisions were discussed even before direct negotiations between Russia and the U.S.
Furthermore, the Russian president commented on the publication of possible phone conversations between U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Putin’s assistant Yuri Ushakov, as well as Special Envoy Kirill Dmitriev, suggesting that they could be both “fakes” and genuine recordings.
“In general, this is a criminal offense for us. Eavesdropping is not allowed,” added Putin.
The next round of negotiations and the U.S. response
Putin emphasized that there is no reason to accuse Witkoff of excessive bias towards the Russian side, as he advocates for the interests of the U.S. and Trump. According to the Russian leader, Moscow notices that American representatives somewhat consider Russia’s position, which was discussed before and after the meeting in Anchorage. He also confirmed expectations for the arrival of the American delegation in Moscow next week to continue negotiations regarding the resolution of the situation in Ukraine. The negotiations will be conducted, among others, by President’s assistant Vladimir Medinsky and representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. At the same time, Putin dismissed assumptions about a loss of trust in Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov as absurd.
U.S. President Donald Trump previously announced that he sent his representatives to negotiate with Russia and Ukraine to finalize the peace agreement. In particular, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff is heading to Moscow for the sixth time to meet with Putin, while Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll will hold consultations with the Ukrainian side.
The peace plan draft from the Trump administration, consisting of 28 points and leaked to the media last week, raised concerns that Ukraine might face unfavorable conditions, particularly regarding concessions on the path to NATO and limitations on the size of Ukrainian forces.
On November 26, Bloomberg published transcripts of potential phone conversations between Witkoff and Ushakov, as well as between Ushakov and Dmitriev. During the discussions, the situation in Ukraine was addressed. Judging by the released recordings, Witkoff provided advice to the Kremlin official on establishing dialogue with the White House and suggested creating a peace plan project similar to the one that was the basis for the truce in the Gaza Strip.