Putin says Russia and Ukraine peace proposals are contradictory
Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged today that peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia have reached a stalemate.
Putin delivered the remarks at a press conference in Minsk during his visit to the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), News.Az reports citing Kyiv Post.
Kyiv and Moscow have engaged in three rounds of direct talks thus far, all in Istanbul – once in 2022 that resulted in the Istanbul Communiqué, then once in May 2025 that resulted in a 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner exchange deal, and another in early June that resulted in more prisoners being exchanged.
Russia handed Ukraine its memorandum on June 2, including demands that Ukraine completely withdraw from occupied territories, limits on troop strength, weapons, and placing a permanent ban on NATO membership for Ukraine; terms which Kyiv says are unacceptable.
“As for the memorandums, as expected, nothing surprising happened... these are two absolutely contradictory memorandums,” Putin said at a press conference in Minsk, Belarus, according to the AFP.
Ukraine has been under significant pressure to come to the negotiating table from US President Donald Trump, and Ukraine has committed to a ceasefire as early as March, but Russia has until recently refused and stuck to its maximalist war aims, despite minimal battlefield gains.
“That’s why negotiations are being organised and conducted, to find a path to bringing them closer together,” Putin said, hinting at a possible meeting between the two leaders.
Putin’s remarks follow earlier comments on June 26 by Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, who argued for talks between the Ukrainian and Russian leaders.
Trump has long argued that only direct negotiations between himself and Putin will be able to end the war. Putin had reportedly offered to help mediate between Iran and Israel, to which Trump replied, “I said, ‘do me a favor, mediate your own [conflict],’” Trump told reporters on the White House lawn.
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