Putin will not sign any peace plan — Portnikov

Russian president Vladimir Putin will not accept any peace conditions, as he has no interest in bringing the war to an end.

Ukrainian journalist and political commentator Vitaliy Portnikov shared this view in a Facebook post.

He noted that, for the Kremlin’s ruler, the negotiations are relevant solely as a way to extend the war amid peace talks or to evade new US sanctions.

«If someone really wants to end the war, they first agree to a ceasefire, and peace talks follow. Putin’s rejection of a ceasefire clearly signals that no negotiations will produce results, since Russia’s interests are absent, ” the commentator stressed.

Portnikov speculated that the ongoing talks are taking place solely because Putin’s special envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, handed US President’s representative Steve Witkoff a «ridiculous draft» in the hope of averting sanctions on Russian oil.

According to the journalist, this paper reached the desk of the White House leader due to incompetent staff in Trump’s administration, who sought to cater to his vanity and his belief that the war could be quickly ended and the Nobel Prize won.

«Any serious conversation would put an end to these rumors. Not because the US and Ukraine would sign a deal or not, but because Russia will refuse to sign any agreement. Without Russia, the war cannot have a conclusion, ” Portnikov stressed.

The political analyst noted that for a ceasefire, the Russian president does not need Trump; such a moment will come when Putin loses the ability to destroy Ukraine and occupy its territories.

«No one knows today when this will happen or in which year such a window of opportunity will open — not even Putin. But it will depend on both Western pressure on Russia and Ukraine’s determination to keep resisting aggression, ” the journalist concluded.