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Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he will only halt military action in Ukraine if Kyiv relinquishes control of territory claimed by Moscow, warning that Russian troops will otherwise capture the land by force.
Speaking during a visit to Kyrgyzstan on Thursday, Putin stated that an immediate ceasefire would only be possible if Ukrainian forces withdrew from regions that Russia now considers its own. Failing that, he said, Moscow would pursue its objectives through continued military operations.
Russian troops have been making gradual territorial gains in eastern Ukraine, advancing through heavy fighting against Ukrainian forces that are reported to be short on both manpower and equipment.
The remarks come as the United States intensifies diplomatic efforts to bring the conflict — now in its fourth year — to an end. Washington has proposed a new peace framework, which it hopes to finalise through talks with both Moscow and Kyiv.
Approximately 20 per cent of Ukraine’s land area remains under Russian occupation, and any discussion about handing over territory continues to be a major obstacle to progress. The Ukrainian government has repeatedly insisted it will not concede land under any circumstances.
Another key issue in negotiations is Ukraine’s demand for long-term security guarantees from the West, which Kyiv argues are essential to prevent future Russian aggression.
An earlier US proposal, reportedly drafted without European input, would have required Ukraine to give up its eastern Donetsk region while Washington would effectively recognise Crimea, Donetsk and Luhansk as Russian territory. This approach was met with strong opposition from both Kyiv and European capitals.
Following criticism, Washington revised the proposal over the weekend, although the updated version has not yet been made public. Putin said he had seen the new draft and described it as a potential basis for further discussions.
He added that US envoy Steve Witkoff was expected to travel to Moscow next week for talks on the revised plan. Meanwhile, US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is due to visit Kyiv in the coming days, according to President Zelensky’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak.
During his comments, Putin also claimed Russian troops had surrounded Ukrainian forces in Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad in eastern Donetsk — territories Moscow sees as strategically vital. Using Russian place names, he insisted the cities had been fully encircled and said Russian advances were also being made elsewhere along the eastern front.
Ukrainian officials strongly denied these claims, maintaining that their forces continue to hold defensive positions along the front line and that no large-scale encirclement has occurred.
Putin further questioned President Volodymyr Zelensky’s legal authority, suggesting that any peace deal signed by the Ukrainian leader could be invalid — a view rejected by Kyiv and its international allies.
Data compiled by the Institute for the Study of War and analysed by AFP indicated that Russian forces captured an average of 467 square kilometres per month in 2025 — a figure higher than in the previous year.
Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, triggering Europe’s most devastating conflict since the Second World War. The war has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and displaced millions of civilians.
