Russia Doesn’t Want Peace, Says EU Foreign Chief, as Trump and Putin Plan Land Talks

EU foreign chief accuses Russia of rejecting peace efforts, as former U.S. President Trump and Russian leader Putin prepare to discuss territorial matters.

Donald Trump announced that during their Ukraine peace talks on Tuesday, he and Vladimir Putin plan to discuss topics such as “land,” “power plants,” and the potential “division of certain assets.”

Moscow has confirmed that a call is being planned between the leaders of the US and Russia, though they did not disclose what topics would be discussed.

Meanwhile, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas indicates that Russia isn’t genuinely seeking peace amid the ongoing talks about Ukraine in Brussels.

Overnight, drone attacks persisted between Ukraine and Russia, with Ukraine reporting that Russia is still attempting to invade the Sumy region in northern Ukraine.

Sumy is near Russia’s Kursk region, which Russian forces are reclaiming. Our correspondent Jonathan Beale interviewed Ukrainian troops regarding their “catastrophic” withdrawal from the area.

With the Kremlin confirming that Presidents Putin and Trump will hold discussions on Tuesday, US officials are striving to maintain an optimistic tone regarding a potential ceasefire agreement.

However, it’s important to take into account the tone of remarks currently emerging from Moscow. They are sounding very optimistic.

In a recent interview with the Izvestia newspaper, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko stated that the conflict in Ukraine has demonstrated to NATO and the EU that they “underestimated” Russia. He asserted that it was a significant error on their part to believe they could achieve Russia’s strategic defeat.

Similar to other officials, he emphasizes Russia’s stance that Ukraine must never become a member of NATO.

Regarding peacekeepers, while Britain and the EU discuss overseeing a potential ceasefire, Russia firmly rejects the presence of any NATO or EU troops on site.

All of this is framed within discussions about alleged Western aggression towards Russia, such as a military buildup on NATO’s eastern flank. This perspective intentionally overlooks evidence of genuine Russian aggression, including the 2014 annexation of Crimea, the Salisbury nerve agent attack, numerous acts of sabotage, and much more.

However, none of this suggests the attitude of a nation under pressure or gearing up to make concessions.

It appears that Russia currently believes it is in control of the situation.

“The responsibility now lies with Russia,” stated US Secretary of State Marco Rubio last week following his announcement of plans for a temporary ceasefire.

Ukraine has given its consent, while Russia has not yet done so. Last week, President Vladimir Putin expressed his support for the idea but mentioned that there are “nuances” to consider.

He mentioned the need to remove the “root causes” of the war, but did not specify what they are.

Putin proceeded to outline the questions he wants addressed: “What will be done during those 30 days? Will Ukraine use the time to mobilize, rearm, or train personnel, or perhaps not engage in any of these activities? Additionally, how will these actions be monitored?”

Who will issue the command to cease hostilities, and at what expense? Who determines violations of a potential ceasefire spanning over 2,000 km (1,243 miles)? Addressing these questions requires careful collaboration from both parties. And who will oversee its enforcement?

Putin stated that a primary point of conflict is Russia’s western Kursk region, where Ukraine initiated a military incursion and captured some territory last August.

He stated that Russia had completely regained control of Kursk and mentioned that Ukrainian forces in the area “have been isolated.”