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Putin: U.S. 28‑Point Peace Plan a 'Starting Point' — Russia Says It Will Use Force Unless Ukraine Withdraws

Russian President Vladimir Putin said a 28‑point U.S. peace proposal could be a starting point for talks but called it a list of issues for discussion rather than a finished deal. He warned that hostilities would end only if Ukrainian forces withdrew from occupied territories, otherwise Russia would use force. U.S. envoys are scheduled to visit Moscow and possibly Kyiv as the plan is revised after Geneva talks. Analysts and the Institute for the Study of War question Moscow's claimed battlefield momentum and say Putin may be trying to outwait Western support.

11:52 PM, 11/27/2025Conflict
Putin: U.S. 28‑Point Peace Plan a 'Starting Point' — Russia Says It Will Use Force Unless Ukraine Withdraws

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that a 28‑point U.S. proposal to end the war in Ukraine could serve as a starting point for negotiations, but he emphasized it should be treated as a list of issues for discussion rather than a finalized agreement.

"We need to sit down and discuss this seriously," Putin told reporters at the close of a three‑day visit to Kyrgyzstan. "If Ukrainian troops withdraw from the territories they occupy, hostilities will cease. If they don't withdraw, we will achieve this by force."

Kremlin spokespeople have offered limited public comment on the plan put forward by Donald Trump last week. Since the invasion, Putin has largely maintained long‑standing objectives: demanding full Ukrainian withdrawal from parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhia regions; opposing NATO membership for Kyiv; and preventing Western troops from being stationed on Ukrainian soil.

Those demands notably include areas of the four oblasts that Russia does not currently control, and analysts say they reflect Moscow's broader aim of keeping Ukraine within its sphere of influence.

The Kremlin said U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to visit Moscow next week, and U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll — who has had a high‑profile role in recent diplomatic efforts — may travel to Kyiv. Initial U.S. proposals were widely viewed as tilted toward Moscow's demands, though an amended version emerged after talks in Geneva between U.S. and Ukrainian officials. European leaders, concerned about their own security, are seeking a greater role in the negotiations.

Analysts caution that Putin may be attempting to outwait Western resolve to support Ukraine. Former U.S. President Donald Trump has indicated he might step back from diplomatic efforts if there is no progress, while European officials contend Moscow could be stalling to consolidate additional territory before accepting any deal.

Russian officials assert they have battlefield momentum, but independent analysis questions that assessment. The Institute for the Study of War said this week that Russian forces continue to struggle to capture cities in eastern Donetsk and that a rapid seizure of the remainder of Donetsk Oblast is not imminent. "Recent Russian advances elsewhere on the front line have largely been opportunistic and exploited seasonal weather conditions," the Washington‑based think tank wrote.

Diplomatic moves are unfolding against a backdrop of sustained fighting on the ground, leaving the prospects for a negotiated settlement uncertain.

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