During the CSTO summit in Bishkek, Vladimir Putin made several statements about the so-called Trump peace plan. Putin noted that there was no official peace document, and that US-Ukraine negotiations resulted in a list of 28 points for further discussion.
The Russian president emphasized his willingness to consider this list as a basis for agreements, highlighting the advantage of Trump's lack of deadlines: it allows Russia to prolong talks while continuing military actions. Putin stressed that a peace agreement would only be possible if Ukrainian troops withdrew from Donbas, demonstrating the lack of compromise and Moscow's maximalist demands.
Putin also named Russia’s future negotiation team, mentioning the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and his aides. The Russian side does not consider Ukraine as a negotiation subject, but instead seeks recognition of the occupied territories by the US and leading global powers.
Putin acknowledged Russia's interest in prolonging negotiations while intensifying offensives and strikes on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure. He touched on sanctions, asset seizures, nuclear tests, and security in Europe. A separate focus was given to the upcoming visit of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to Moscow and its possible effect on the EU's stance regarding aid to Ukraine.
Overall, analysis of Putin's speech shows that Moscow aims to use Western initiatives and any peace plan as a tool to gain time and strengthen its frontline positions. The likelihood of real Russia-Ukraine negotiations remains very low for now.
