Putin Signals Willingness to Negotiate, Accepts And Rejects US Peace Proposals on Ukraine

The Kremlin revealed on Wednesday that President Vladimir Putin has accepted certain elements of a U.S.-proposed peace plan for Ukraine while rejecting others during marathon talks with President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner, signaling cautious optimism for continued negotiations despite no immediate breakthroughs. The five-hour session, which stretched into the early hours of December 3, marked the first direct exchange on a 27-point U.S. framework plus four additional documents, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov emphasizing that outright rejection would be an inaccurate characterization of the "normal negotiation process."

Peskov, briefing reporters after the meeting at the Kremlin, underscored Russia's willingness to engage in as many rounds as necessary to forge an agreement, expressing gratitude to Trump for his personal involvement. Putin's foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov described the discussions as "very useful and constructive," noting that some U.S. points appeared "more or less acceptable" but others required rephrasing to align with Moscow's core demands, including territorial concessions and security guarantees against NATO expansion. The absence of full compromise was acknowledged, yet the tone suggested incremental progress in a conflict that has dragged on since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, claiming tens of thousands of lives and displacing millions.

The U.S. delegation's visit follows Trump's repeated pledges to resolve the war "in 24 hours" upon taking office, though aides have tempered expectations to a more realistic timeline. Witkoff, a real estate magnate and Trump confidant, and Kushner—whose Middle East deal-making during Trump's first term included the Abraham Accords—arrived in Moscow amid heightened European skepticism over the plan's perceived tilt toward Russian interests, such as freezing frontlines and limiting Ukraine's military aid. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is reportedly slated to meet the envoys in Brussels shortly after, per U.S. media sources, to brief Kyiv on the outcomes and align on red lines.

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This dialogue revives formal U.S.-Russia talks dormant since the Biden administration's focus on isolating Moscow through sanctions and arming Kyiv. Peskov cautioned against public commentary to avoid derailing progress, while Putin, in opening remarks, reiterated Russia's readiness for peace but warned Europe against escalation, claiming NATO's "sabotage" of prior ceasefires. Analysts view the mixed reception as a pragmatic starting point, potentially paving the way for a phased de-escalation if subsequent rounds address sticking points like Crimea and Donbas.

As the Kremlin prepares for follow-up sessions—possibly involving European mediators—the talks underscore a shifting geopolitical landscape under Trump's incoming administration, where deal-making diplomacy supplants confrontation. Yet with Ukraine's sovereignty at stake and winter advances stalling on the ground, the path to a durable accord remains fraught, hinging on concessions neither side has historically yielded.

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