Putin Says US Peace Plan ‘Possible Framework’ but Demands Ukrainian Withdrawal

Russian President Vladimir Putin has provided a crucial, albeit conditional, green light to the draft peace plan brokered by the United States to end the war in Ukraine, stating the proposal could serve as a viable “framework” for future negotiations.

​Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Mr. Putin indicated that the document, reportedly revised following consultations between Washington and Kyiv, contained acceptable elements, but stressed that any final settlement was contingent on Ukraine accepting Moscow’s territorial gains and withdrawing its forces from contested areas.

​”I believe that it could lay the foundation for a final peace settlement,” the Russian leader told reporters.

​However, the conditional acceptance was immediately tempered by hardline demands. Mr. Putin issued a stern warning that military operations would intensify unless Ukraine conceded ground, stating: “Ukrainian forces will have to leave the territories they currently occupy, and then the fighting will stop. If they don’t, we will achieve this by military means.”

​Further complicating the diplomatic push, Mr. Putin reiterated his long-standing position that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s leadership is “illegitimate,” claiming that Kyiv’s postponement of its presidential election makes it “legally impossible” to sign a binding agreement with him. Moscow insisted that any deal would require explicit international recognition to be valid.