Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged today that the Ukrainian and Russian peace proposals are at an impasse.
Putin delivered the remarks at a press conference in Minsk during his visit to the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).
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Kyiv and Moscow have engaged in three rounds of direct talks thus far, all in Istanbul – once in 2022 that resulted in the Istanbul Communiqué, then once in May 2025 that resulted in a 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner exchange deal, and another in early June that resulted in more prisoners being exchanged.
Russia handed Ukraine its memorandum on June 2, including demands that Ukraine completely withdraw from occupied territories, limits on troop strength, weapons, and placing a permanent ban on NATO membership for Ukraine; terms which Kyiv says are unacceptable.
“As for the memorandums, as expected, nothing surprising happened… these are two absolutely contradictory memorandums,” Putin said at a press conference in Minsk, Belarus, according to the AFP.
Ukraine has been under significant pressure to come to the negotiating table from US President Donald Trump, and Ukraine has committed to a ceasefire as early as March, but Russia has until recently refused and stuck to its maximalist war aims, despite minimal battlefield gains.
“That’s why negotiations are being organised and conducted, to find a path to bringing them closer together,” Putin said, hinting at a possible meeting between the two leaders.
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Putin’s remarks follow earlier comments on June 26 by Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, who argued for talks between the Ukrainian and Russian leaders.
Trump has long argued that only direct negotiations between himself and Putin will be able to end the war. Putin had reportedly offered to help mediate between Iran and Israel, to which Trump replied, “I said, ‘do me a favor, mediate your own [conflict],’” Trump told reporters on the White House lawn.
In a meeting with Zelensky on the sidelines of the NATO summit on June 25, Trump acknowled that Putin was “difficult“ to work with.
The American president may return his focus to the Russo-Ukrainian War after concluding what was widely regarded as a successful NATO summit this week at the Hague and the introduction of a shaky ceasefire between Iran and Israel.
Putin acknowledged the economic pain that is beginning for Russia.
“6.3 percent of Russia’s GDP goes on defence needs. That is 13.5 trillion rubles ($172 billion),” Putin said.
“It’s a lot. We paid for it with inflation, but now we are fighting this inflation,” he added.
Polish Foreign Minister Radowslaw Sikorski argued that high military spending and economic pain in Russia may cause the regime to collapse.
For now, Russia appears no closer to a ceasefire, but the Chief of Ukraine’s Armed Forces Oleksandr Sysrky reported this week also show that Russia’s summer offensive in Sumy has been stopped.