Russian President Vladimir Putin underlined that Russia's goal remains the full "liberation" of Donbass and Novorossiya, while revealing that no agreements were reached during the August 2025 Anchorage summit with US President Donald Trump. At the same time, he expressed doubts that European leaders could have convinced Trump to change his stance toward Ukraine. Putin also reiterated that Moscow is ready to resume dialogue with Washington as soon as the active phase of the conflict with Iran is concluded.
"Terms for Ukraine are becoming increasingly difficult"
According to Fyodor Lukyanov, editor-in-chief of the magazine Russia in Global Affairs, Russia still remains committed to its core positions, which include full control of Donbass and the territories it already occupies, as well as the continuation of negotiations on the remaining issues. As he stated to Vedomosti, the pattern remains unchanged whereby every new diplomatic effort takes place under more unfavorable conditions for Ukraine, with Moscow's demands constantly increasing.
The role of the US and the difference with Europe
According to Lukyanov, the United States is not showing particular interest in diplomacy at this stage, as it lacks a clear picture of the desired outcome of the war and adjusts its stance based on developments. He argued that Moscow clearly differentiates the US from Europe. As he noted, despite their limitations, the Americans still demonstrate some flexibility that could advance diplomacy, while Europe maintains an unyielding position, with no willingness to make concessions to Russia. Lukyanov assessed that the US could play some role in a political and diplomatic settlement, but its contribution will be limited. "We should not expect a decisive contribution from Trump and his team. Simply put, he doesn't care that much," he emphasized.
"The narrative of a Ukrainian counteroffensive is false"
Dmitry Suslov, deputy director of the Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies at Russia's National Research University Higher School of Economics, argued that the core message of Putin's speech is that the narrative promoted by Europe and Kyiv regarding a turn in the course of the war in favor of Ukraine is false. According to him, Putin's reference to the "liberation" of Donbass and Novorossiya constitutes a message to Donald Trump. "If the United States withdraws the proposals it submitted in Anchorage, then Moscow will also withdraw the compromises it was willing to make at that time," he stated.
Internal disagreements in the Trump administration
Suslov argued that US mediation still matters, but only if the Trump administration does not adopt the positions of Europe and Ukraine. "There is currently no other Western mediator besides Trump," he said. According to him, the Trump administration has not yet definitively formulated its negotiating line. On one side are officials supporting a tougher stance against Russia, such as Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. On the other side, there are figures who appear more open to negotiations, such as special envoy Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, and Vice President JD Vance. Suslov estimated that the final US stance will be shaped based on the actual situation on the battlefield. "It is in Russia's interest to convince Trump and his team that the narrative promoted by Europe and Ukraine does not correspond to reality. This is exactly what Vladimir Putin sought to do," he concluded.
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