Image: keystone
December 2, 2025, 7:55 p.m12/02/2025, 8:22 p.m
Russian President Vladimir Putin negotiated with US representatives in Moscow about a possible end to the war in Ukraine. Immediately beforehand, he threatened Ukraine – and also its supporters in Europe – with harsh words. If Europe wants to fight and starts doing so, Russia is ready to do so immediately, he said.
«We don’t intend to fight with Europe, I’ve said that 100 times. But if Europe wants to fight again and starts, then we are ready to do so immediately.”
Vladimir Putin
The meeting in the Kremlin was attended by US special envoy Steve Witkoff and US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. Speaking to reporters, Putin criticized changes included in Trump’s original 28-point peace plan at the insistence of Europeans. Europe’s proposals were aimed at blocking the peace process, Putin said, according to the Interfax agency.
Russia is ready to involve the Europeans in negotiations. But to do this they would have to acknowledge the realities on the battlefield in Ukraine. «We don’t intend to fight with Europe, I’ve said that 100 times. But if Europe wants to fight again and starts, then we are ready to do so immediately,” he said.
Russian soldiers in DonbassImage: IMAGO/Sergey Bobylev/imago-images-bilder
Moscow demands the entire Donbass
With regard to Trump’s plan, the EU states have made it clear several times that they will not accept a violent relocation of borders in Europe. Only Ukraine can decide on its territories. In order to achieve peace, Putin demands, among other things, that Ukraine give up Donbass without a fight. Kiev categorically rejects this.
In order to reinforce the image of a militarily superior Russia, the Kremlin announced on Monday that the city of Pokrovsk, which had been fought over for over a year, had been completely conquered. This was denied by the Ukrainian General Staff in Kyiv. Observers at the US Institute for War Studies (ISW) also initially remained skeptical. On the other hand, Putin and the military leadership stuck to their narrative. The Kremlin chief offered journalists to see for themselves the situation in Pokrovsk.
Putin: Could cut off Ukraine from the sea
After attacks on Russian tankers and ships calling at Russian-controlled ports, Putin threatened Ukraine with harsh reactions. “We are expanding our attacks on port facilities and ships calling at Ukrainian ports,” announced the Kremlin chief. As an extreme measure, he threatened to cut off Ukraine from the sea.
A Ukrainian Navy soldier on March 27, 2025.Image: keystone
Putin described the attacks in neutral waters as piracy and blamed them directly on the Ukrainian armed forces. “If this continues, then we will consider countermeasures against ships from countries that help Ukraine in these acts of piracy,” Putin said. In the past few days, two tankers from the so-called Russian shadow fleet were attacked by sea drones in the Black Sea.
A peace plan with many revisions
Witkoff and Kushner were supposed to present the current US peace plan to end the war in the Kremlin. Its exact content is not publicly known. However, the plan, which became public at the end of November, has undergone various changes in the past few days because many initial proposals were not acceptable to Ukraine and the European states.
US special envoy Steve Witkoff (left) and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.Image: keystone
Before the meeting in the Kremlin, Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriev led the American guests through Red Square, a video from the state news agency Tass showed. Another photo showed the three men visiting a fine restaurant within sight of the Bolshoi Theater.
Trump: We will no longer pay anything in the Ukraine war
Trump commented on the peace talks at a meeting of his cabinet in Washington. “As you know, we have a problem with a war that our people are currently trying to solve with Russia and Ukraine,” he said, taking the opportunity to emphasize his change of course in Ukraine policy: The USA is no longer financially involved in the Ukraine war. His predecessor Joe Biden, on the other hand, distributed billions of dollars “like candy”. “I don’t give anything away,” said Trump. Now the Europeans bought weapons in the USA in order to pass them on to Ukraine.
Zelensky emphasizes necessary security guarantees
Meanwhile, Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky visited Ireland. According to a translator in Dublin, he said he was waiting for the results of the Russian-American talks in Moscow and was prepared for anything. If there is a chance for a quick, comprehensive solution, negotiations will continue at the highest level. He is also prepared for a meeting with US President Donald Trump. However, the head of state did not rule out that no breakthrough would be achieved.
Volodymyr Zelenskyj continues to demand security guarantees.Image: sc/x.com
Zelensky repeated the call for security guarantees for a long period of time. “We have to end the war so that Russia does not return within a year with the third invasion in ten years,” he said. “They have not achieved their goal of occupying our state.” Zelensky visited Paris on Monday.
100 million euros from Sweden against Ukrainian winter
Sweden is helping Ukraine, which is under attack from Russia, with another aid package before the winter. The government in Stockholm said the support was intended for civilian purposes and amounted to more than 1.1 billion Swedish crowns. That’s the equivalent of around 101 million euros.
“We must end the war so that Russia does not return within a year with the third invasion in ten years.”
Volodymyr Zelensky
This is intended to cover the country’s acute needs before and during the winter. It’s about energy supply, repairs and the reconstruction of destroyed infrastructure. Like the other Nordic countries, Sweden is one of the strongest supporters of Ukraine, which has been defending itself against a Russian invasion since February 2022. (sda/dpa/val)