Putin Warns Ukraine once more during fresh talks, saying Russia will take Donbas by force if Ukrainian troops don’t withdraw. Here is a simple and clear update on the tense situation and global reactions.
Putin Warns Ukraine once again as tensions rise around the future of the Donbas region. In a strong message during his interview with India Today, Russian President Vladimir Putin said, “Either we liberate these territories by force, or Ukrainian troops will leave these territories.”
His words clearly showed that Russia is not ready for any compromise over the eastern region. Moscow already controls around 85% of Donbas and is now pressuring Ukraine to leave the remaining areas.
Ukraine, however, has firmly refused to give away any land. President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly said that Ukraine will not surrender territory under any circumstances.
This has made the situation even more serious as both sides hold strong positions while the conflict continues on the battlefield.
Putin’s latest comments came just after US negotiators met him in Moscow for peace talks. Former US President Donald Trump had said earlier that Russia “would like to end the war,” but also added that it takes both sides to agree before any real progress can happen.
His envoy Steve Witkoff visited Moscow and was expected to meet the Ukrainian team in Florida next.
In the interview, Putin mentioned that he had not seen the newest version of the US peace plan before his meeting with Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
He said, “That’s why we had to go over every point, that’s why it took so long.” Putin also said Moscow did not agree with many parts of the plan, but he did not name the specific points.
Russian officials also hinted that there was “no compromise” after the talks. They said Russia’s position had become stronger because of what they claimed were recent battlefield successes. Ukraine, on the other hand, accused Russia of delaying peace talks so that it could capture more land slowly.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybhia reacted sharply, saying Putin was “wasting the world’s time.” Ukrainian leaders say peace is possible, but only when there is strong pressure on Russia to stop its advances.
Zelensky recently said that the world “clearly feels that there is a real opportunity to end the war,” but insisted that any talks must include strict security guarantees for Ukraine.
Meanwhile, European leaders are worried about the US peace efforts as well. A reported transcript from a confidential meeting suggested that leaders like French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz fear that Ukraine could be pushed into a deal that gives away territory without proper protection.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb also warned that Ukraine should not be left alone with major powers making decisions around it.
Russia first launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and currently controls around 20% of Ukrainian land. In recent weeks, Russian forces have been making slow advances in the south-east despite heavy fighting.
As the situation becomes more tense, the world continues to watch closely. With both sides refusing to step back and global leaders divided on the next steps, the path to peace looks difficult.
For now, the message from Moscow is clear — Putin Warns Ukraine that Russia will take Donbas by force if Kyiv does not withdraw its troops.
