Currently, there are no visible grounds to assert that Russia is ready to stop military actions in Ukraine unless its demands, which are absolutely unacceptable for Ukraine, are met, said Sigita Struberg, Secretary General of the Latvian Transatlantic Organization (LATO), in an interview for the Latvian Television program "Morning Panorama," LETA reports.
She reminded that since the very beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia has been spreading rhetoric about its readiness for peace; however, given the conditions it has put forward, it is more likely that one should prepare for a pessimistic scenario in which peace will not be achieved. The possible concession of Russian President Vladimir Putin in this situation was described by Struberg as the most optimistic but least realistic scenario.
In response to a question about the prospects of U.S. Special Envoy Steve Whitcoff retaining his position after information emerged that he had advised Putin's advisor on how to negotiate more successfully with President Donald Trump, the Secretary General of LATO stated that this is unlikely to have serious consequences.
"It is unlikely that pressure on Trump can be so strong right now that it would lead to any changes," Struberg noted.
At the same time, she added that there is hope for the ability of European diplomats to work with Trump's team and persuade him to soften his position. Currently, the most active countries in negotiations with Trump are the United Kingdom, Germany, and France; however, there is also hope for the potential influence of the Italian Prime Minister and the President of Finland on the U.S. position, Struberg pointed out. She acknowledged, however, that the potential outcome does not look promising at this time.
When asked how likely it is that Trump and the U.S. will at some point withdraw from the peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, Struberg reminded that Trump has not yet abandoned the idea of becoming a peacemaker in the world; therefore, despite possible short-term changes in mood, such a retreat will not be so simple. It is also necessary to consider the dynamics of Trump's relationships with Putin and European leaders, as well as Europe's significant contribution to Ukraine, she added.
As reported, Putin stated that a U.S. delegation will arrive in Moscow next week to discuss the so-called American peace plan for ending the war unleashed by Russia against Ukraine. "We expect them in the first half of next week," Putin said.
Speaking about the plan promoted by Trump, Putin emphasized that there is currently no draft peace agreement. "There was a range of issues proposed for discussion," he indicated. At the same time, Putin reported that after the negotiations of the U.S. and Ukrainian delegations in Geneva, it was decided to divide the 28 points of Trump's peace plan into four parts.
Russia generally agrees that these points can serve as the basis for further agreements to end the war.
"Everything must be expressed in diplomatic language," Putin noted.
The initial version of the proposed U.S. plan consisting of 28 points was extremely favorable to Russia. It required Ukraine to cede occupied territories to Russia, as well as territories that Russia had not even captured. Ukraine was also required to commit to never joining NATO and to reduce its army.
Over the weekend, during negotiations between representatives of the U.S., Ukraine, and Europe in Geneva, the plan was revised to take into account Ukraine's position. However, on Monday, the Kremlin stated that Russia would not accept the amendments made at Europe's request.
From the Russian side, the negotiation process involves the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as Putin's advisors Vladimir Medinsky and Yuri Ushakov, Putin reported, adding that the composition of the American delegation for the upcoming negotiations will be determined by Trump.
The U.S. President previously stated that he would send his envoys to the presidents of Russia and Ukraine to agree on a plan for a peaceful resolution of the war between Russia and Ukraine. According to Trump, a special envoy of the U.S. President, Whitcoff, will go to Putin, while U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll will go to President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky.
