Kremlin Rules Out Swift End to War in Ukraine as Putin Hardens Stance

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov states there are no grounds for optimism regarding a peaceful resolution, while reports indicate Vladimir Putin refuses to make concessions and demands the capture of the entire Donbas.

No Grounds for Optimism

Currently, due to the stance of the Kyiv regime, there are no grounds for optimism regarding a peaceful resolution of the conflict. The dynamics of the situation on the front lines are widely known, having been repeatedly addressed by the head of state and commander-in-chief, and the special military operation continues, Peskov said Thursday during a press conference.

European Involvement and US Envoys

He stated that certain European countries, particularly Great Britain, are increasing their involvement in the war by doing everything possible to cure war fatigue in the EU and encourage other countries to continue this conflict. Peskov also added that the visit to Moscow by US President Donald Trump’s special envoys, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, announced in May, has been suspended, noting that no specific dates have been reserved yet.

It remains unclear what directly caused the death of 71-year-old Russian opposition activist Sergei Vlasenko, whose body was found Monday evening in a rented apartment in Warsaw’s Wola district, writes Michał Żyłowski on Wyborcza.pl.

Putin’s Refusal to Compromise

According to The Moscow Times, despite Ukrainian drone attacks that managed to paralyze one-third of Russia’s refining industry, halt grain exports through the Black Sea, and burn over 20 Wildberries warehouses, Vladimir Putin has no intention of making concessions and is instead hardening his demands on Kyiv, Kremlin-linked sources told Bloomberg in July.

Negotiations Conditioned on Donbas Capture

According to the same sources, Putin still aims to capture the entire Donbas and believes negotiations can only resume after achieving this goal. The Russian president is also reported to have abandoned an earlier territorial exchange idea, concluding that informal agreements reached with US President Donald Trump at the Anchorage summit in August 2025 have lost their validity.

Europe and South Korea are fundamentally in the same boat, living in the shadow of unpredictable neighbors whom our most important ally admires and values, writes Bartosz T. Wieliński on Wyborcza.pl.

Shadow Fleet and Retaliation Threats

As reported by Gazeta.pl, in response to European actions against the pro-Russian shadow fleet, Moscow accused the West of piracy and plunder, with Putin warning that his forces will seize other countries’ ships wherever deemed necessary.