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Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has signaled he will not compromise on a “peace deal,” believing that Russia is making enough progress on the battlefield and can wait until Ukraine accepts what he calls his “fair conditions.”
Sources cited by ABC News say this position emerged as discussions continue in Abu Dhabi and Florida.
Kremlin unwilling to accept peace terms
Steve Witkoff, the special envoy of U.S. President Donald Trump, is set to travel to Moscow on December 1 to present a peace proposal directly to Putin. This trip follows a round of talks in Florida with a high-level Ukrainian delegation, aimed at identifying terms for ending the war that would be acceptable to both Kyiv and Moscow.
“Few believe Putin will agree to a deal,” ABC News reports. The Russian leader has recently issued hardline statements, repeating demands that Ukraine withdraw from territories he claims and dismissing any negotiations with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as “pointless.” The Kremlin believes it has momentum and is willing to wait for Kyiv to yield.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the post-Florida negotiations as “delicate,” adding, “It’s difficult — there are many moving parts.”
Territorial issues remain the key obstacle
A source familiar with the talks told ABC News that both sides discussed security guarantees for Ukraine, the fate of billions in frozen Russian assets, and the possibility of future elections in Ukraine. For Russia, the issue of frozen assets is reportedly “critical.”
However, no breakthrough has been made on Russia’s demand that Ukraine surrender non-occupied territories in Donbas — the biggest sticking point.
“Russia is still unwilling to discuss any form of ceasefire, and Ukraine is not prepared to cede territory,” the source emphasized.
Rubio said the meeting was “very productive and useful,” with additional progress achieved.
Zelenskyy also called the Florida talks “very constructive,” although he noted that “some difficult issues still need to be resolved.”
Negotiations in Florida
Earlier reports confirmed that National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov and the Ukrainian delegation had traveled to the United States for the discussions.
On November 30, U.S. and Ukrainian officials met in Miami to continue negotiations on ending Russia’s full-scale invasion. According to Axios, Washington aims to reach understanding on two major topics: territory and security guarantees.
Talks in Miami are now ongoing.
