High-stakes diplomacy continues as Russia and the United States seek a path – however fraught – toward resolving the conflict in Ukraine. A nearly five-hour meeting between a U.S. envoy and Vladimir Putin this week yielded no immediate breakthroughs, but underscored Moscow’s willingness to continue talks, even as it asserts battlefield gains. The negotiations are unfolding against a complex backdrop of stalled peace efforts, shifting dynamics in European support for Ukraine, and increasing concerns over potential back-channel dealings with former U.S. President Donald Trump, raising fears about a potential divergence between Washington and its European allies. ukrainian officials are now preparing a response, seeking to proactively address Russian messaging and secure continued U.S. support.
A nearly five-hour meeting between a U.S. envoy and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, December 2, yielded no immediate breakthroughs in efforts to end the war in Ukraine, according to the Kremlin. The stalled negotiations highlight the deep divisions between Moscow and Washington, and raise concerns among European allies about the future of the conflict.
The discussions, described by Russian officials as “constructive,” centered on potential territorial concessions from Kyiv and Ukraine’s aspirations to join NATO. These remain key sticking points in any potential peace settlement.
While European leaders express frustration with the lack of progress, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov stated that Moscow is willing to continue talks with U.S. representatives “as many times as necessary” to find a resolution. The statement comes as Russia appears to believe it is gaining momentum on the battlefield.
The Kremlin reportedly believes it can win the war, citing advances made by Russian troops in eastern Ukraine. According to data analyzed by the Associated Press from the Institute for the Study of War, Russian forces have gained an average of 467 square kilometers per month in 2025, accelerating gains seen in 2024. On Monday, Moscow claimed to have captured Pokrovsk, a crucial logistics hub for the Ukrainian army.
Despite estimated losses of around 150,000 soldiers since February 2022 – figures reported by both the BBC and the Russian media outlet Mediazona – Putin is said to believe Russia can achieve its military objectives in Ukraine, beginning with the full annexation of the Donbass region. “This issue was widely raised Tuesday night by the Kremlin, which demands the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Donbass, a demand that Kyiv has rejected,” explained Igor Delanoë, an associate researcher at the Institute of International and Strategic Relations (Iris).
“The issue of Donbass is highly symbolic, and Vladimir Putin would have difficulty declaring victory without obtaining this territory,” Delanoë told Franceinfo.
Russia is also seeking assurances from the U.S. that Ukraine will not be admitted to NATO, a demand that Kyiv has repeatedly rejected. Yuri Ushakov, a diplomatic advisor to the Russian president, said the issue was discussed as part of a peace plan proposed by Washington. “This question is very important for Vladimir Putin, who does not want to see foreign troops on Ukrainian territory,” Delanoë observed.
The meeting also served as an opportunity for Putin to project strength to the Russian public, as public support for the war appears to be waning. A poll conducted in October indicated that 83% of Russians are “tired” or “very tired” of the war, and 52% favor “peace negotiations,” according to Russian news outlet Vot-Tak. “This meeting is also a way to communicate with the Russian people, who are ready for a cessation of hostilities,” Delanoë summarized. “There is a desire to show that discussions are taking place with the Americans, between great powers, with a whole staging before this sequence.”
The current impasse in negotiations appears to favor Moscow. “The Russians will play the game of diplomacy as long as it is in their interest, especially because they hold the strategic initiative on the ground,” Delanoë said. “The Russians are having a lot of fun,” noted Carole Grimaud, a specialist in Russian geopolitics and professor at the University Paul-Valéry of Montpellier. “This is the sixth meeting of this kind with the American envoy, and they didn’t discuss the details, but agreed to be more in agreement.”
Despite the cessation of direct U.S. military and humanitarian aid earlier this year, American intelligence services continue to share information with the Ukrainian army. However, Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to withhold intelligence from Ukraine. His past meeting with Putin in Alaska, and openness to lifting sanctions against Russia, have raised concerns among European allies, who have sought to keep Washington aligned with their position on a peace plan favorable to Moscow.
The Kremlin has reportedly offered Donald Trump potential financial partnerships in the event of a peace agreement, signaling a willingness to engage with the former president directly. This development is likely to appeal to Trump, who has frequently criticized the financial cost of the conflict. The move fuels European fears that the Trump administration might prioritize Russian interests over the sovereignty of Ukraine and the security of the continent.
By excluding Europeans from the negotiations, Russia is attempting to destabilize the European Union and its neighbors, a tactic consistent with its ongoing hybrid warfare efforts. “We have no intention of waging war against Europe, but if Europe wants to do so and start, we are ready to do so now,” Putin declared shortly before the meeting.
“Vladimir Putin believes that Europe has no say, because it is the party imposing restrictions and preventing this peace process from materializing. The Russians see Europeans as co-belligerents, but also believe that the EU is powerless and that the 27 member states are divided,” Delanoë added.
Consequently, European nations, directly affected by the war in Ukraine, were notably absent from the Moscow meeting. “The Russians want to reach an agreement with the Americans, to the detriment of the Ukrainians and the Europeans,” Delanoë observed. He emphasized that Russian diplomacy views Washington as holding “the key to the negotiations,” with the expectation that “Europe will eventually be forced to adopt the American position.”
This calculation is “quite risky, given the focus of European capitals at the moment,” Delanoë added. German diplomats have stated that Russia is not “in a negotiating mode” to find a diplomatic solution to the conflict. “It’s just another falsehood from the Kremlin, coming from a president who doesn’t take peace seriously,” said a spokesperson for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Wednesday. The European Union and its partners have been working closely with Ukraine in recent days to influence the Russian-American talks.
On Wednesday, Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Ummyerov explained that he had met in Brussels, Belgium, with representatives from France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the EU, and NATO. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that he would begin preparing for a meeting in the United States with emissaries from Donald Trump to counter the Russian narrative.
Fabien Jannic-Cherbonnel / December 4, 2025 05:06 GMT
Edição e Tradução / Joana Bénard da Costa – RTP
