Russia Says Captured Ukrainian Regions Will Not Be Part of Negotiations

Moscow: Russia on Thursday made it clear that the Ukrainian regions it annexed during the war will not be part of the negotiation talks, Kremlin informed, a day after President Trump during his first Cabinet meeting said that they are “going to have a deal”.

Days after Trump initiated peace talks to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict and held lengthy conversation with both his counterparts, Kremlin on Thursday ruled out any negotiations over the status of 5 Ukrainian regions it claims to have annexed, despite not fully controlling four of them.

Confirming Russia's stand on annexed Ukrainian regions, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said they have become an inseparable part of their territory and enshrine country’s constitution.

According to Russia's Meduza media outlet, Dmitry Peskov in a phone briefing said, “This is undeniable and non-negotiable."

Trump calls Putin smart but cunning person 

On Wednesday, Donald Trump called Putin a smart but cunning person who had no intention of settling the war with Ukraine until he (Trump) was re-elected to the White House for his second term. Trump in his very first days of his presidency, called Russian and Ukrainian counterparts and launched an unprecedented bid to start negotiations and end the war, which has entered its third year.    

Trump on whether Putin will make concessions

Speaking to press during his first cabinet meeting which was also attended by Elon Musk, Trump when was asked whether Vladimir Putin will make concessions if a peace deal is reached, the President said, “Yeah he will."

Trump also asked Vice President JD Vance to pitch in on Russia-Ukraine peace deal status who said that the President will not make negotiations in front of the public and American media because whenever the President indulges in diplomacy, the media accuses him of conceding before Russia.

Ukraine should forget about NATO

Trump made it clear to Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and Europe too that Kyiv should forget about NATO, as it was the prime reason due to which the war eventually started.

Zelenskyy has been saying for days that he would step down immediately if Ukraine is granted NATO membership. He has also been demanding security guarantees from United States but the Trump administration downplayed it and passed it to Europe saying its upto them whether to provide security to Kyiv.   

Zelenskyy from the beginning has been saying that he won't accept a deal if everything will be decided by Russians. He also accused Trump of living in ‘Russian Disinformation Space’ after the US President blamed him for starting the war with Russia and not working out on negotiations to avoid the conflict.