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Putin Calls US-Backed Ukraine Peace Plan “OK in General” — With Big Strings Attached

Putin says a US-backed Ukraine peace plan is “OK in general,” but insists on keeping seized territory and rejects major concessions.

By Tracey Ashlee
Russian President Vladimir Putin seems to be indicating that he is cautiously open to a new US‑backed peace plan for Ukraine, but only on his terms. Speaking during a visit to Kyrgyzstan, Putin said a draft proposal supported by Washington could serve as a “framework” for future agreements. But,  he also made it clear that Moscow is not backing away from its core demands or territorial claims.  “In general, we concur that this can serve as the foundation for future accords,” Putin said of the plan, which US officials presented as a 28‑point roadmap designed to end nearly four years of war. The proposal, which is heavily criticized by some as too favorable to Russia, reportedly included conditions for Kyiv to make major territorial concessions and scale back long‑term ambitions to join NATO. According to Al Jazeera, the plan has since been tweaked in consultation with Ukraine, removing elements like a cap on the size of Ukraine’s armed forces and a broad amnesty for war crimes. But key details of the revised draft have not been made public, and Putin emphasized there is still “no definitive version” on the table.  Putin also confirmed that Steve Witkoff, a special envoy for US President Donald Trump, is expected to travel to Moscow for further talks, with discussions expected to focus heavily on the status of occupied regions, including Donbas and Crimea. The Kremlin insists any final deal must recognize Russia’s control over territory it has seized in Ukraine and that this new reality be accepted internationally. In earlier comments this week, Russian officials described talks to end the war as “serious” but openly ruled out concessions on core issues, including territory and Ukraine’s Western security ties. Putin doubled down on that stance, saying Ukrainian troops must withdraw from areas that Russia now claims, or Moscow will continue trying to force that outcome “by military means.” “Ukrainian forces must retreat from the areas they occupy, and then hostilities will cease,” he said. He added that if Kyiv refuses, Russia will seek to achieve its goals on the battlefield. Putin also repeated his view that Ukraine’s current leadership is “illegitimate,” a position that complicates any direct negotiations between the two sides. Kyiv, for its part, has not publicly endorsed the US‑backed proposal as presented. They have consistently rejected any deal that would require ceding territory or abandoning their goals of  stronger ties with NATO and the European Union. Ukrainian presidential chief of staff Andriy Yermak said cooperation with Washington on the peace framework would continue, but stressed that Ukraine’s fundamental positions remain unchanged. The mixed messages create a familiar pattern, Moscow hints that they're ready for “serious talks” but are unable to bend while drawing firm red lines. And, on the other side, Kyiv insisting that peace cannot come at the expense of sovereignty. Western analysts, per Al Jazeera, say Putin’s “OK in general” comment may be aimed at showing flexibility to global audiences, especially countries worried about a long war, without actually softening Russia’s demands. For now, the US‑backed peace plan is neither here not there,  promising enough for all sides to keep talking, but constrained by red lines that look as rigid as ever. Whether it leads to a real ceasefire or just another footnote in a grinding conflict will depend on what happens in the next rounds of quiet, high‑stakes negotiations.

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