Putin "Ready" for Peace, But Only If Ukraine Surrenders 4 Regions

Russian President Vladimir Putin declared today, December 19, 2025, that Moscow is "ready and willing to end this conflict peacefully," but only if Ukraine meets his maximalist demands first. Speaking at his annual "Results of the Year" press conference, Putin reiterated his June 2024 ultimatum: Ukraine must withdraw all troops from the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhya, and Kherson regions—territories Russia claims but does not fully control—and formally abandon its NATO aspirations. While acknowledging "some signals" of willingness to talk from Kyiv, Putin’s tone was one of military confidence, not compromise, casting serious doubt on the viability of the ongoing U.S.-led peace initiative.

The Context (How We Got Here)

This statement comes at a critical juncture. Just days ago, U.S. President Donald Trump announced from Berlin that a peace deal was "closer than ever," following marathon talks between his envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, and Ukrainian officials. However, the diplomatic optimism in the West clashes violently with the reality on the ground. Russia currently occupies about 19% of Ukraine and is advancing at its fastest pace since 2022. Putin’s insistence on "achieving objectives established at the outset" suggests that he views the current diplomatic flurry not as an off-ramp, but as an opportunity to legitimize his territorial conquests without firing another shot.

The Key Players (Who & So What)

Vladimir Putin: The immovable object. By demanding territory he hasn't even fully captured yet, he is effectively asking for Ukraine's surrender at the negotiating table. His "readiness" for peace appears to be a readiness to accept victory, nothing less.
Donald Trump: The impatient broker. Eager for a foreign policy win, Trump is pressuring Kyiv to make "hard choices" on territory. However, his leverage over Putin remains unproven, and his "patience is running out" narrative risks forcing a bad deal on Ukraine rather than a fair one.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy: The leader in a bind. Facing pressure from Washington to concede and from his own people to resist, Zelenskyy is navigating a minefield. His refusal to cede territory de jure while acknowledging the need for security guarantees highlights the desperate search for a middle ground that may not exist.

The BIGSTORY Reframe

While headlines focus on the word "Peace," the deeper story is the "Legitimacy Trap." Putin’s refusal to negotiate directly with Zelenskyy—labeling his government "illegitimate"—while simultaneously demanding a peace treaty that only a head of state can sign, creates a deliberate logical paradox. This isn't just diplomatic posturing; it’s a strategy to paralyze negotiations while his army advances. Furthermore, the West’s offer of "NATO-style" security guarantees is colliding with Putin’s core geopolitical objective: not just land, but a written guarantee of NATO non-enlargement. This fundamental incompatibility—Russia demanding a sphere of influence vs. NATO’s open-door policy—means that even if a territorial truce is reached, the geopolitical war will continue.

The Implications (Why This Changes Things)

If Putin’s "peace" requires Ukraine’s capitulation, the war is likely to enter a new, frozen phase or intensify. The risk for Europe is profound: a deal that rewards aggression with territory would shatter NATO’s deterrence credibility in the Baltics and Poland. Conversely, a failure of talks could see Trump withdraw U.S. support, leaving Europe to shoulder the burden of a war it cannot afford to lose.

The Closing Question (Now, Think About This)

If "peace" means surrendering land, sovereignty, and security, is it peace, or just a pause before the next invasion?

FAQs

Is Putin really ready to end the Ukraine war and what are his conditions? Putin stated on December 19, 2025, that Russia is "ready" to end the conflict peacefully, but his conditions are unchanged from June 2024: Ukraine must withdraw all troops from Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhya, and Kherson, and formally abandon its bid to join NATO. Essentially, he demands territorial capitulation.

How close is a peace deal between Russia, Ukraine, and the West? While President Trump claims a deal is "closer than ever" after talks in Berlin, major gaps remain. Russia insists on retaining captured territory and preventing Ukraine's NATO membership, while Ukraine and its European allies refuse to cede sovereignty or security guarantees. Most analysts view a breakthrough as unlikely without significant concessions.

What does Putin mean by being 'ready to end the conflict peacefully'? His statement implies a willingness to accept a peace agreement if it grants Russia all its strategic objectives without further fighting. It is not an offer of compromise, but rather an invitation for Ukraine to accept defeat diplomatically to avoid further military losses.

Why are peace talks stalling despite Trump's diplomatic push? Talks are stalling because the core demands are mutually exclusive. Russia demands land and a sphere of influence (no NATO); Ukraine demands sovereignty and security guarantees. Furthermore, Putin's military confidence makes him less inclined to compromise, while Zelenskyy cannot politically survive surrendering territory.

Sources

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Russia-Ukraine War

Brajesh Mishra Associate Editor

Brajesh Mishra is an Associate Editor at BIGSTORY NETWORK, specializing in daily news from India with a keen focus on AI, technology, and the automobile sector. He brings sharp editorial judgment and a passion for delivering accurate, engaging, and timely stories to a diverse audience.