Russian President Vladimir Putin bluntly told Indian media Thursday that Moscow will seize full control of Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region – “by military means or otherwise”.
“It all boils down to this: either we will liberate these territories by force, or Ukrainian troops will leave these territories and stop fighting there,” he said in comments from the interview that were carried by state news agency Tass on Thursday.
The stark warning came one day after five-hour Moscow talks with US envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump advisor Jared Kushner yielded no breakthrough on territory.
No compromise on red lines
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov called the talks “useful” but confirmed no territorial concessions. Russia now controls 19.2% of Ukraine, including all Luhansk, over 80% of Donetsk and chunks of Kherson and Zaporizhia.
Trump’s initial 28-point blueprint for ending the Ukraine war sparked outrage for heavily favouring Russia. It demanded Ukraine cede the entire Donbas region, cap its military size and abandon NATO membership – demands that echoed Kremlin red lines.
Ukrainian negotiators fought back hard. During intense Geneva talks, they pared the proposal down to 19 points, stripping out the most egregious concessions.
The revised version still touches on territorial questions and security guarantees, but Kyiv insists sovereignty remains non-negotiable.
In discussions with the US over the outline of a possible peace deal to end the war, Russia has repeatedly said it wants control over the whole Donbas and that Washington should informally recognise Moscow’s control.
Reporting from Moscow, Al Jazeera’s Yulia Shapovalova said Moscow was unlikely to move on its “red lines”. “According to Putin, until Russia’s interests are respected, the country won’t sign any agreements, and will reach its goals on the battlefield,” she said.
Zelensky: “No surrender”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, facing domestic scandals and Russian advances, maintains he cannot cede territory under the constitution and will never reward aggression.
Ongoing strikes
Russian attacks persisted overnight:
- Ballistic missile hit Kryvyi Rih (Zelensky’s hometown) – 6 injured, including a 3-year-old
- Artillery killed a 6-year-old girl in Kherson
- Drones struck Odesa, injuring 8
Kremlin spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused Ukraine of disrupting peace talks by hitting Russian oil tankers and the Novorossiysk terminal.
Russia claimed full capture of Pokrovsk – a key Donetsk hub – though Ukraine says fighting continues in the northern part. Moscow also says it took Vovchansk in the northeast.
US mediation continues
Witkoff and Kushner head to Florida Thursday to meet Ukraine’s chief negotiator Rustem Umerov.
Source: AlJazeera
Also read: Oil, defence and geopolitics: Putin India visit explained
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