Vladimir Putin signaled on November 27 that a U.S.–Ukraine draft peace plan "could be the basis for future agreements," but ruled out any ceasefire unless Ukrainian forces first withdraw from territories Moscow claims—including nearly all of Luhansk and parts of Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia. The Kremlin leader's statement, reported by ABC News, underscores the wide gap between Russian demands and the revised framework under discussion in Washington and Kyiv, even as high-level diplomatic contacts resume next week.
Putin reiterated that Russia will continue military operations until its territorial preconditions are met, effectively raising the threshold for any freeze in hostilities. The remarks come as U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff prepares to travel to Moscow in the first half of next week, marking the highest-level American engagement with the Kremlin since peace efforts intensified in late November. The combination of scheduled talks and hardened Russian conditions sets up a test of whether either side will shift from entrenched positions.
Russian conditions and the evolving U.S.–Ukraine draft
The framework under negotiation has undergone significant revisions since its initial 28-point version drew backlash for elements perceived as conceding too much to Moscow. According to Reuters reporting on November 26, the original draft drew from a Russian "non-paper" submitted in October and included barring Ukraine from NATO membership, capping Ukrainian forces, recognizing Russian control over Crimea and Donbas, freezing front lines in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, and staged sanctions relief tied to compliance milestones.
After consultations in Geneva and Abu Dhabi, U.S. and Ukrainian teams reportedly cut nine points and produced a revised 19-point draft. Meanwhile, European powers—largely excluded from initial drafting—circulated counterproposals that raised the proposed Ukrainian force cap and removed explicit pre-recognition of Russian territorial control. On November 26, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov confirmed that Russia had seen an unofficial version of the revised plan, stating that the Kremlin viewed some aspects positively while several points "require serious analysis." Russia's deputy foreign minister Sergey Ryabkov stated bluntly that Moscow sees no concessions on key issues, according to compiled Kremlin remarks.
Putin's November 27 comments clarify that recognition of Russia's claims over Crimea and Donbas remains a baseline expectation, alongside full Ukrainian withdrawal from the four regions Moscow annexed in September 2022. He framed continued fighting as the alternative if these demands are unmet, signaling Russia's readiness to take more territory. This posture contrasts sharply with the evolving U.S.–Ukraine text, which reportedly no longer includes automatic recognition of Russian control and seeks stronger sovereignty guarantees for Kyiv.
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Next week's diplomatic schedule and open questions
Steve Witkoff's expected arrival in Moscow in the first half of next week represents the clearest near-term diplomatic milestone. No formal ceasefire or signing ceremony has been announced, and Putin's November 27 ruling out any ceasefire before Ukrainian withdrawal makes such an outcome highly unlikely on current positions. The envoy's visit will likely focus on clarifying whether Moscow will officially receive and respond to the revised framework, and whether any margin exists on the core issues of territorial control, security guarantees, and troop withdrawal sequencing.
In parallel, U.S. and Ukrainian teams continue refining their draft, while European capitals work to ensure their sovereignty-focused counterproposal—which rewrites Trump's Ukraine plan with higher troop caps and tougher terms—gains traction. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told Parliament the situation remains "volatile" and "dangerous," accusing Russia of lacking "real intent" to engage in peace. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called it "premature" to speak of a peace deal, a characterization that aligns with Putin's hardened conditions.
The watchpoints for next week are narrow but critical: whether Moscow receives the revised text officially and offers substantive readouts from the Witkoff meetings; whether any U.S.–Russia or U.S.–Ukraine contacts produce documented shifts on territorial baselines, enforcement mechanisms for security guarantees, or the withdrawal-before-ceasefire sequencing. President Trump backed away from a firm Thanksgiving deadline on November 25–26, saying "the deadline for me is when it's over," which suggests flexibility on timing but also removes urgency that might compel compromise.
The gap between Putin's stated demands and the evolving framework remains wide. The next week will reveal whether scheduled contacts can narrow that gap or whether the diplomatic process becomes a venue for hardening incompatible positions while fighting continues.
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