Putin continues to demand "the entire Donbas" in talks with US
Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin has said that Russia in talks with the United States continues to demand control over the entire Donbas, including areas it has failed to capture militarily.
Source: Russia media outlet Kommersant, citing its sources
Details: Putin held his traditional pre-New Year meeting of the State Council on 25 December, formally devoted to issues of workforce training. However, neither its correspondent nor other members of the State Council focused on this topic.
Instead, Putin reportedly spoke at length about talks with the United States and Ukraine regarding a so-called peace plan.
Quote: "He [Putin] spoke about the agreements in Anchorage, about the US side's plan and about the positions that were, one might say, agreed on the fly. He also said that the Americans later stepped back from some of their own proposals after talks with Europeans and that this was a sign of weakness."
Details: Putin claimed Russia remains ready to accept the concessions he agreed to at the time of the Anchorage talks.
Quote: "In other words, the position is that 'Donbas is ours'. It was said that 'the issue of the Kramatorsk-Kostiantynivka-Sloviansk hub is not up for discussion'. However, a partial exchange of territories with the Russian side is not ruled out either."
Details: Putin also did not conceal that discussions are ongoing about joint management of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant with the United States, rather than with Ukraine.
Quote: "The Americans expressed interest in mining at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Electricity supplies to Ukraine are also being discussed at the initiative of the US side. Putin also said he had been asked whether Ukrainians could work at the plant, to which he replied that they are already working there as before, only now they have Russian passports."
Previously: The meeting between US President Donald Trump and Putin concluded with no agreements reached and no ceasefire in Ukraine announced, despite both leaders claiming "great progress" was made.
A joint lunch for the delegations was cancelled following the three-on-three meeting and press conference between Trump and Putin.
Documents containing US State Department markings detailing preparations for the 15 August meeting between the US and Russian delegations were in a printer at the Hotel Captain Cook in Anchorage, Alaska.
Background:
- On 27 November, Putin claimed that hostilities in Ukraine will end once the Armed Forces of Ukraine withdraw from territories they currently hold in Donbas.
- In addition, he said that the legal recognition of Crimea and Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts as Russian territory must be one of the key issues in negotiations with the United States.
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