Journalist and political analyst Vitaly Portnikov discussed the latest events regarding US and Donald Trump's peace initiatives concerning Ukraine. He emphasized that Russia is showing a complete lack of interest in any “peace plan” proposed without its participation.
Portnikov noted that consultations between Ukraine and the US have been ongoing for years, but true peace requires interest from both conflict sides—Russia and Ukraine. According to him, Russia is not even considering any proposed options, ignoring public signals from both Washington and Kyiv. For example, several points of the unofficial 'Trump plan', such as Russia paying rent for occupied territories, are described as detached from reality.
Portnikov underscores that no genuine peace process is possible without Russia's willingness to compromise, and this is not reflected in current Kremlin rhetoric. He argues that proposals and attempts at compromise now serve mainly to delay US sanctions on the Russian energy sector, rather than to achieve real settlement.
The analyst referenced the example of Nagorno-Karabakh, noting that peace there was only possible under military pressure, and stressed that the absence of real willingness from the Kremlin makes agreements impossible. Portnikov is skeptical regarding the use of US sanctions as leverage, stating that only real economic degradation could force Russia to make concessions, for which there is currently no evidence.
Portnikov concluded that attempts to push a peace plan without Russian agreement are ineffective and could contribute to further escalation, including in Europe. He highlighted that for many Western politicians, the war has become routine, and active support for Ukraine is decreasing.
