Kremlin poised to turn down Ukraine’s peace offer NYT UNVEILS DETAILS

In a detailed analysis by The New York Times, Ukraine’s latest 20-point peace plan, crafted with input from American officials, is unlikely to win Moscow’s approval. The plan marks a stark shift from a previous October proposal that would have required Ukraine to cede territory and abandon NATO aspirations.

Framed as a reasonable compromise to earlier proposals by Kirill Dmitriev, Russia’s special envoy, and Steve Witkoff, a US envoy under Donald Trump, the new blueprint emphasizes security guarantees for Kyiv and outlines reconstruction efforts for a war-battered nation.

Despite its conciliatory tone, the Kremlin appears poised to dismiss the plan. Aleksei Naumov, a Moscow-based international affairs analyst, criticised it on Telegram, saying, “This is an absolute mockery. The idea is clear: Pitch this to the Americans as a ‘compromise,’ and then blame Russia for its failure.”

Russia’s main sticking points remain unchanged: Ukraine must withdraw from Donetsk and Luhansk, and NATO membership must be ruled out. President Vladimir Putin reiterated these demands during his recent annual press conference, while signalling limited willingness to make “accommodations” in regions like Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia. However, the Ukrainian plan conditions troop withdrawals on equivalent Russian concessions, leaving key territories, including the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, unresolved. Georgi Bovt, a Russian analyst, explained, “Failing to resolve the territorial issue renders this a nonstarter.”

Economically and militarily, Russia can afford to reject the plan. While sanctions and the ongoing war have strained Moscow, analysts suggest the country remains far from a crisis that would force a strategic retreat. Roughly three-quarters of Donetsk is under Russian control, and current recruitment numbers—417,000 new contracts in 2025 alone, according to Dmitri A. Medvedev—allow continued operations despite battlefield losses.

Yet Moscow continues negotiations, largely to maintain working ties with Washington and avoid full blame for the conflict. Experts also note that ongoing discussions help delay further economic sanctions and complicate Western coordination. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Putin had been briefed and that Moscow was formulating its position, noting, “Our colleagues in the United States are well aware of the main parameters of Russia’s position.”

For the Kremlin, discussing the Trump peace plan is purely a tactical game played with the US to maintain constructive relations with the current American president while simultaneously provoking friction and contradictions between the United States and Ukraine.”

By Jeyhun Aghazada