Putin doesn’t want territories? NYT reveals Kremlin’s key demands to Ukraine
Photo: Russian President Vladimir Putin (Getty Images)
Russian President Vladimir Putin wants a meeting with US President Donald Trump to win him over. However, the Kremlin’s main demand is not territorial concessions from Ukraine, according to The New York Times.
Analysts who study Putin’s actions believe that the Russian leader’s primary goal is to secure a peace deal that fulfills his "geopolitical aims" — which do not necessarily involve seizing specific territory on the battlefield.
It is noted that Putin is focused on reassuring Trump and avoiding a breakdown in relations with Washington.
According to The New York Times, it remains unclear what exactly was discussed between Putin and US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff during their meeting in Moscow on Wednesday, August 6. It is suggested that Putin may have hinted at greater flexibility regarding the Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia.
Some analysts have speculated that earlier this year, during negotiations, the Kremlin leader instructed his envoys to stick to the toughest stance possible to secure a meeting with Trump. Russian officials may hope that a face-to-face conversation would allow Putin to persuade Trump to support Russia’s position, which he frames as addressing the "root causes of the conflict."
The outlet notes that people close to the Kremlin, as well as political analysts, say Putin’s demands include excluding Ukraine from NATO, limiting its military capabilities, and laying the groundwork for a more Moscow-friendly government in Kyiv.
According to NYT sources, these demands are more important to the Russian President than the specific territories Russia ultimately controls.
Possible meeting between Trump, Zelenskyy, and Putin
On August 6, US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff visited Moscow, where he held a three-hour meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
US President Donald Trump described the meeting as productive. According to The New York Times, he is reportedly planning to meet with Putin next week, followed by a trilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Today, Putin’s aide, Yuri Ushakov, announced that Russia and the US had agreed to hold a Trump-Putin meeting in the coming days and had already determined the location. The Russian President himself said the meeting could take place in the UAE.
According to Zelenskyy, various potential meeting formats at the leadership level were discussed yesterday — two bilateral formats and one trilateral.
