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The Kremlin has formally rejected amendments to a Donald Trump-backed peace proposal for Ukraine, with a senior Russian foreign policy official dismissing the changes as unhelpful, despite admitting he had not reviewed them. This stance emerged shortly after Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, described his recent talks with Ukrainian and European negotiators in Florida as “productive and constructive,” aiming to halt hostilities and establish a stable future for Ukraine.
Yuri Ushakov, a top foreign policy aide to President Vladimir Putin and a key figure in drafting the original proposal, stated, “I am sure that the proposals that the Europeans and Ukrainians have made or are trying to make definitely do not improve the document and do not improve the possibility of achieving long-term peace.” He further clarified that his criticism was not a “forecast” and that he had not seen the specific new proposals. Ushakov also denied any serious discussions about a potential three-way summit involving the US, Moscow, and Kyiv, contrary to suggestions from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The diplomatic deadlock persists over core issues, primarily Ukraine’s insistence on robust security guarantees and its refusal to cede any territory seized by Russia since the 2014 annexation of Crimea and the full-scale invasion in 2022. Moscow, conversely, shows no indication of relenting on its demands, particularly its claims over Donbas, Crimea, and southern Ukrainian lands. Russia also opposes the deployment of European ground forces to uphold peace in Ukraine once the conflict concludes, complicating any tangible security guarantees from Europe.
Simultaneously, military engagements continue across the front lines. Ukrainian forces are currently battling an attempted Russian breakthrough in the northeastern Sumy region, near the border. Kyiv’s joint taskforce reported ongoing fighting in the village of Hrabovske, asserting efforts to repel the occupiers back into Russian territory. Ukrainian media, citing military sources, indicated that Russian forces had crossed into Ukrainian territory on Saturday night, forcibly removing approximately 50 residents, predominantly elderly individuals, from a border village into Russia.
Further compounding the military situation, Ukrainian drone attacks have reportedly damaged at least two vessels and two piers in Russia’s Krasnodar region. Authorities in the southern Russian region confirmed the incident, stating that a fire spread across an area of up to 1,500 square metres at the Volna terminal, though all crew members were safely evacuated. This follows President Zelenskyy’s recent disclosure that Russia launched an estimated 2,500 aerial attacks against Ukraine in the past week alone, including 1,300 attack drones, nearly 1,200 guided aerial bombs, and nine missiles.
Amid these developments, European leaders are navigating complex diplomatic paths. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, in a rare statement of support for Kyiv, warned that Ukraine’s collapse would be catastrophic for Hungary, urging significant efforts to prevent such an outcome. Meanwhile, France’s President Emmanuel Macron has expressed openness to resuming dialogue with President Putin, indicating a potential shift in European diplomacy should US-led talks falter. These discussions underscore the multifaceted international efforts and deep divisions surrounding the ongoing conflict.
