Russia Rejects Major Concessions on Ukraine Peace Plan Amid Leaked Call with US Envoy
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Russia has ruled out significant concessions on a peace plan for Ukraine, according to a senior Russian diplomat. The statement comes after a leaked recording of a call between US Envoy Steve Witkoff and a Russian official showed Witkoff advising Moscow on how to pitch a peace plan to Donald Trump. Witkoff is set to visit Moscow next week with other senior US officials for talks with Russian leaders about a possible plan to end the nearly four-year-old war in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has expressed his willingness to advance the US-backed framework for ending the war, but Kyiv and its European allies are concerned that the plan may favor Russian demands, including barring Ukraine's NATO entry and limiting the size of Ukraine's army. The US policy on Ukraine has been subject to significant changes since the summer, with Trump's Alaska summit with Putin sparking worries about Washington's willingness to accept Russian demands. However, the latest peace proposal has been met with criticism from Trump's fellow Republicans, who have called for a change in strategy. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov stated that there can be no question of concessions on key points, while Trump said progress was being made and Moscow was making concessions. However, the leak of the Witkoff-Ushakov call has raised concerns about the legitimacy of the peace efforts. The Kremlin has also expressed concerns about the leak, calling it an attempt to undermine peace efforts and an act of hybrid warfare. The controversy has sparked anxiety among European allies, who fear that the plan may reward Russian aggression. The situation remains uncertain, with the Kremlin stating that it is premature to talk of a peace deal. Ukraine and its European allies continue to echo former US President Joe Biden's stance that the invasion is an imperial-style land grab for which Moscow must not be rewarded.
