Ukraine, Europe Accuse Putin of ‘Feigning’ Peace Efforts as US-Led Talks Stall

Ukraine and several European allies on Wednesday accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of pretending to seek peace after five hours of Kremlin talks with US envoys ended without progress.

UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper urged Putin to “end the bluster and the bloodshed,” while Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Moscow was “wasting the world’s time.” The comments underscored deep divisions over how to end the nearly four-year war that began with Russia’s 2022 invasion.

Putin, a day earlier, accused Europe of undermining US-led peace efforts and warned Russia was prepared for conflict with European nations if provoked.

The Kremlin described Tuesday’s meeting between Putin, US envoy Steve Witkoff, and Trump adviser Jared Kushner as “positive,” though no details were released. Witkoff and Kushner will now meet Ukraine’s lead negotiator, Rustem Umerov, in Miami on Thursday.

Former US President Donald Trump said his envoys believed Putin “would like to make a deal.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also noted that “the possibility of ending the war exists,” but insisted peace would require “constructive diplomacy plus pressure on the aggressor.”

Key sticking point: Occupied territories

Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov said no compromise had been found on the fate of four Ukrainian regions Russia partially occupies and claims as its own — a red line for both sides. “So far, a compromise hasn’t been found,” he said, while noting that talks were “not moving backwards.”

Kyiv has repeatedly ruled out ceding any territory.

Europe doubles down on support for Ukraine

At a NATO meeting in Brussels, European foreign ministers dismissed suggestions that Russia was serious about peace.
“Putin has not changed course,” Estonia’s foreign minister said. Finland called for a full ceasefire as a confidence-building measure.

NATO chief Mark Rutte said military support would continue to keep pressure on Moscow. Canada, Germany, Poland, and the Netherlands announced new joint weapons purchases for Ukraine.

Unlike the Biden administration, the Trump administration has halted weapon donations, instead selling arms to Ukraine or NATO allies supplying Kyiv.

Intensifying battlefield strikes

Russia and Ukraine continued heavy drone and missile attacks overnight. Ukrainian officials said Russian drones struck Ternivka in the Dnipropetrovsk region, killing two people and injuring three. Ukraine reported Russia launched 111 strike and decoy drones.

Russia claimed to have destroyed 102 Ukrainian drones, with falling debris triggering a fire at an oil depot in the Tambov region.