Trump has been pushing for talks between Kyiv and Moscow, ostensibly to end the Russo-Ukrainian war. However, concerns persist that this could pressure Ukraine into territorial concessions while enabling the US to pursue access to Ukraine’s mineral resources as compensation for aid. Under Trump, US support for Kyiv appears to be shifting, aligning more with Moscow amid Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
In a 27 February address to the Federal Security Service (FSB) board, Putin reaffirmed claims over the Donbas - Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts, and so-called "Novorossiya," which he and other Russian officials have previously described as encompassing all of eastern and southern Ukraine, including Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa, and Mykolaiv oblasts.
Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated on 27 February that the Donbas and "Novorossiya" are "integral" to Russia.
Russia pushes expansionist demands
"Putin has previously demanded that Ukraine surrender all of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts even though Russian forces do not occupy large parts of Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts," ISW saysThe Russians occupy only small parts of Kharkiv Oblast and the Kinburn Spit in Mykolaiv Oblast while advancing toward the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast border, and "the Kremlin may use the Russian occupation of limited territory in these oblasts as a false premise to demand that Ukraine surrender even more territory."
"ISW continues to assess that Putin remains uninterested in good-faith negotiations that require compromises and thinks that he can achieve his war objectives militarily in the medium- to long-term," ISW says.
Washington's response to Russia’s stance
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on 26 February that Russia's "maximalist demands" show Putin is not negotiating in good faith. US President Donald Trump reiterated that Russia must make concessions and said on 27 February that the US will push to regain as much land as possible for Ukraine.Kremlin media strategy targets Trump
Kremlin directives to Russian state media on covering recent US-Russia meetings suggest Putin aims to "manipulate US President Donald Trump and divide the West." The Russian opposition outlet Verstka reported on 27 February that Kremlin directives instructed state media to portray Trump positively while highlighting Russia’s direct engagement with his team. Russian outlets were reportedly told to depict Trump as "oppressed" in the West and emphasize his "wisdom" in responding to Russian outreach.Putin praised Trump's administration, saying early contacts "inspire certain hopes." He also claimed that "ideological clichés" were destabilizing the West, attempting to drive a wedge between Trump and US allies.
Putin accused "Western elites" of seeking global instability and obstructing US-Russia talks, excluding Trump. The Kremlin similarly portrays European leaders as prolonging the war to create a false US-Europe divide and discredit Europe’s role in negotiations, ISW says.
Russia seeks economic gains in negotiations with US
Bloomberg, citing a source familiar with the matter, reported on 27 February that Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), convinced Putin to push for US economic cooperation as part of negotiations. Dmitriev, who attended US-Russia talks on 18 February in Saudi Arabia, reportedly saw Trump’s interest in a mineral deal with Ukraine as an opening for broader discussions.Biden, Obama, Trump: Different presidents, same Russian reset trapRelated:
- Trump rules out Ukraine’s NATO membership, pledges to get “some land” back
- I can’t believe I said that: Trump doesn’t remember calling Zelenskyy “dictator”
- Biden, Obama, Trump: Different presidents, same Russian reset trap
- UK plans talks on Ukraine and outcome of European leaders’ meeting with Trump
- Russia and United States meet in Istanbul to discuss the problems of the two countries’ embassies
- FP: US-Russia peace plan may face mass resistance from Ukrainians who will want to continue fight for their homeland
- Trump: Putin will have to make concessions on war in Ukraine
- Trump claims Ukraine should “forget” about NATO
- Trump admits that his peace push may fail, will try to get some land back
- Rubio sets goal for “next” talks: defining war exit conditions for Russia, Ukraine
