'Every word matters': Vladimir Putin backs U.S. talks on Ukraine war, warns Kyiv to withdraw or face force

Kremlin officials have had little to say so far about the peace plan put forward last week by Trump. Since Russia’s invasion of its neighbor, Putin has shown no willingness to budge from his goals in Ukraine despite Trump’s push for a settlement.

Putin has previously demanded that Ukraine completely withdraw from the entirety of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhia regions before Russia considers any sort of “peace negotiations” — notably including areas of each of those oblasts that Russia does not occupy. He also wants to keep Ukraine from joining NATO and hosting any Western troops, allowing Moscow to gradually pull the country back into its orbit.

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff is set to visit Moscow next week, the Kremlin says, while U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, who in recent weeks has played a high-profile role in the peace efforts, may be heading to Kyiv.

The initial U.S. peace proposals appeared heavily skewed toward Russian demands, but an amended version emerged from talks in Geneva on Sunday between American and Ukrainian officials. Sidelined European leaders, fearing for their own security amid Russian aggression, are angling for deeper involvement in the process.

Analysts say Putin is attempting to outwait the commitment of Western countries to supporting Ukraine’s war effort. Trump has previously signaled he could walk away from efforts to stop the fighting if there is no progress. European officials say Putin is stalling because Russia wants to grab more of Ukraine before accepting any deal.

Russian officials have claimed they have battlefield momentum in Ukraine, even though their slow progress has been costly in terms of casualties and armor.

The Institute for the Study of War on Wednesday cast doubt on Russian claims that its invasion is unstoppable as it is still struggling to capture cities in the eastern Donetsk region.

“Data on Russian forces’ rate of advance indicates that a Russian military victory in Ukraine is not inevitable, and a rapid Russian seizure of the rest of Donetsk Oblast (region) is not imminent,” the Washington-based think tank said. “Recent Russian advances elsewhere on the front line have largely been opportunistic and exploited seasonal weather conditions.”

The diplomatic developments have come against a backdrop of continued fighting.

A 53-year-old man was killed in a Russian drone attack in Ukraine’s northern Sumy region, officials said Friday. Also, Russia attacked Ukraine’s Odesa and Dnipropetrovsk regions early Thursday, injuring three people and starting fires, local authorities said. Russia launched 142 drones at Ukraine overnight, according to Ukraine’s air force.

Meanwhile, Russian air defenses downed 118 Ukrainian drones overnight above various Russian regions and the Black Sea, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

Ukraine’s army isn’t only under pressure on the battlefield. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s government is mired in a major corruption scandal and is short of money.

In a development offering some relief, Ukraine reached an agreement for the International Monetary Fund to provide $8.1 billion over four years, according to a statement by the institution. The money comes from a fund that helps countries facing medium-term payment difficulties.

But Ukraine’s state budget and military needs for 2026 and 2027 are estimated at $153 billion.