KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian and European officials criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday for seemingly feigning interest in peace negotiations, following five hours of inconclusive talks at the Kremlin with U.S. envoys. Although discussions will continue, there were no indications of any significant breakthroughs, prompting Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha to urge Putin to "stop wasting the world’s time."
U.K. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper echoed this sentiment, urging the Russian leader to "end the bluster and the bloodshed" and genuinely engage in efforts for a just and lasting peace for Ukraine and European security.
The Kremlin meeting included U.S. President Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, marking another stage in the U.S.'s renewed push to broker a peace deal, which has been elusive since Trump's return to office in January. The talks did not reveal their substance but highlighted a significant obstacle: whether Russia will retain control over the territories it has occupied since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Yuri Ushakov, a senior advisor to Putin, noted that "so far, a compromise hasn’t been found" regarding territorial issues, without which he stated the Kremlin sees "no resolution to the crisis." Ukraine maintains its stance of not conceding any territory captured by Russia.
Ushakov characterized the conversation with U.S. officials as "rather useful" and "constructive," suggesting they discussed the framework of a U.S. peace proposal rather than specific terms. In advance of the talks, Putin launched a harsh critique of European nations, accusing them of wanting to sabotage a peaceful settlement. He ominously warned that while he does not seek conflict with Europe, Russia is prepared for battle if Europe decides to "wage a war with us."
The remarks heightened tensions surrounding the ongoing conflict, which has persisted for nearly four years. At a NATO foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels, officials expressed strong dissatisfaction with Moscow's actions. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna stated, "It’s pretty obvious that [Putin] doesn’t want to have any kind of peace." Finland's Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen stressed that the aggressor, Russia, has not made any concessions, and emphasized that a full ceasefire would be the best confidence-building measure.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte confirmed that Ukraine's partners would continue to supply military assistance to maintain pressure on Moscow. He emphasized the importance of ensuring Ukraine remains in a strong position both in ongoing hostilities and in any potential future peace negotiations.
As military support continues, Canada, Germany, Poland, and the Netherlands announced they would jointly invest hundreds of millions of dollars in purchasing U.S. weapons as donations to Ukraine. This initiative follows NATO's earlier move in August to start acquiring U.S. military equipment under the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL).
The war has claimed numerous lives, with both sides entrenched in a brutal battle characterized by drone and missile strikes beyond front-line positions. In a recent attack, Russian drones struck the town of Ternivka in Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk region, resulting in two fatalities and multiple injuries. Ukrainian air forces reported that 111 strike and decoy drones were deployed against Ukraine overnight, while Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed to have intercepted 102 Ukrainian drones during the same period.
A fire ignited at an oil depot in Russia's Tambov region, approximately 200 kilometers south of Moscow, following the fall of drone debris. The ongoing violence starkly illustrates the harsh realities of this protracted conflict.
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Cook reported from Brussels. Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
