Putin refuses to accept the US peace proposals and continues to insist on four Ukrainian regions, despite US pressure.

Russian President Putin continues to insist that four Ukrainian regions be recognized as part of the Russian Federation in exchange for an end to hostilities. In particular, Putin is asserting claims over the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhia regions within their administrative borders, although none of these regions is fully controlled by the Russian military.

Donald Trump’s Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, who spoke with the Russian leader for three hours in the Kremlin on April 25, attempted to persuade Putin to freeze the conflict on the current front line. However, the talks have reached an impasse, and further progress will likely require personal contact between Putin and Trump.

The Russian leader wants the US to officially recognize Crimea, which was annexed in 2014, as Russian and agree to its continued control over the territories of Ukraine it currently occupies, as well as lift some existing sanctions and abandon plans to admit Ukraine to NATO. There are currently no signs that Putin will relent in his ambitions.

The US State Department has reiterated that the US may withdraw from the negotiation process if there is no progress.