BY EMMANUEL OGBONNA
Ukrainian and European officials sharply criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, accusing him of projecting a false willingness to negotiate after a lengthy round of talks in Moscow yielded no visible progress toward ending the nearly four-year war. The meeting, which lasted roughly five hours and involved U.S. presidential envoy Steve Witkoff and senior adviser Jared Kushner, drew immediate skepticism in Kyiv and across European capitals.
Ukraine’s foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, dismissed Putin’s diplomatic posture outright, saying the Russian leader should “stop wasting the world’s time” if he has no intention of engaging seriously. His remarks echoed a broader view among Western officials who believe Moscow is using the talks to strengthen its leverage rather than move toward compromise.
U.K. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said Putin “should end the bluster and the bloodshed” and approach negotiations with genuine intent, arguing that Europe’s security hinges on a settlement grounded in justice and respect for Ukraine’s sovereignty.
The Kremlin and the U.S. delegation agreed to keep the substance of the conversation private, but both sides acknowledged that the most contentious question—whether Russia will be allowed to retain Ukrainian land seized since its February 2022 invasion—remains unresolved. The issue is widely seen as the central obstacle to any meaningful deal.
Yuri Ushakov, one of Putin’s top advisers, told reporters that “so far, a compromise hasn’t been found,” adding that without clarity on territorial arrangements, “there is no resolution to the crisis” from the Kremlin’s perspective. Kyiv has repeatedly insisted it will not concede any territory under Russian control, whether occupied early in the war or during more recent fighting.
Although Ushakov described the talks as “useful” and “constructive,” he made clear that the discussion focused on the U.S. framework rather than precise language or enforceable terms. Diplomats familiar with the U.S. effort say Washington is attempting to build momentum through incremental steps, though neither Russia nor Ukraine has yet signaled readiness for the kinds of concessions required to secure a full ceasefire.
Before the meetings, Putin delivered a combative speech accusing European governments of trying to derail diplomatic progress. He added a stark warning, saying Moscow did not seek conflict with Europe but was “ready right away” should European nations choose to escalate. The comments immediately heightened concerns about the fragile environment surrounding the peace initiative.
As the U.S. push continues, European NATO countries meeting in Brussels voiced exasperation with Putin’s rhetoric and battlefield actions. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said it was “obvious” that Putin is not pursuing peace, pointing to intensified Russian operations along the front.
Finland’s Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said Moscow had shown “no concessions” and argued that the only credible confidence-building step would be a full cessation of hostilities. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte reinforced that Ukraine’s partners would continue supplying military assistance, noting that Kyiv must remain strong “both on the battlefield and at the negotiating table.”
Several European governments—including Canada, Germany, Poland and the Netherlands—announced additional hundreds of millions of dollars in joint spending to purchase American weapons for Ukraine. The initiative expands an existing procurement arrangement known as the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List, under which NATO allies began coordinating large-scale weapons purchases last year.
On the ground, the war continues to inflict steady casualties as both sides rely heavily on drones and missiles for long-range attacks. Ukrainian officials reported that Russian drone strikes hit the town of Ternivka in the Dnipropetrovsk region overnight, killing two people and injuring three others. Regional military head Vladyslav Haivanenko said two of the wounded were in critical condition and that the attack destroyed one home and damaged several others.
Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 111 strike and decoy drones across the country during the night. Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed its own air defenses intercepted 102 Ukrainian drones in separate attacks. Falling debris from one of the interceptions sparked a fire at an oil depot in the Tambov region, roughly 200 kilometers south of Moscow, according to regional governor Yevgeniy Pervyshov.
With little sign of a breakthrough after the Kremlin discussions, diplomats involved in the process expect further meetings but caution that momentum remains fragile. Both sides appear entrenched, and without movement on the territorial question, hopes for a near-term ceasefire remain dim. As the conflict grinds on, the human and economic costs continue to rise, and international pressure is mounting on Moscow to demonstrate genuine interest in ending the war rather than prolonging talks without meaningful results.
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