skip to content

Putin says Russia will achieve goals by force unless Ukraine withdraws

The Trump peace plan calls for Ukraine to cede Donbas to Russia, while fighting will freeze on the front lines at their current positions.

express web desk

By: Express Web Desk

November 27, 2025 10:51 PM IST First published on: Nov 27, 2025 at 08:29 PM IST
Russia will achieve its goals by force unless Ukraine withdraws, says Vladimir Putin, as peace efforts continueRussian President Vladimir Putin attends the summit of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) at the Administrative complex Yntymak-Manas Ordo, in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025. (Alexander Kazakov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that the outlines of a draft peace plan discussed by the United States and Ukraine could become the basis of future agreements to end the conflict in Ukraine.

“In general, we agree that this can be the basis for future agreements,” Putin said at an event in Kyrgyzstan, adding that the variant of the plan discussed by the United States and Ukraine in Geneva had been passed to Russia.

‘Some things still need to be discussed’

Putin also said that the United States was taking into account Russia’s position but that some things still need to be discussed.

Russia will achieve its goals by force unless Ukraine withdraws, says Vladimir Putin, as peace efforts continue
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov talk to each other, as Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko walks behind them on the sidelines of the summit of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO). (Alexander Kazakov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

He said that if Europe wanted a pledge not to attack it, then Russia was willing to give such a pledge.

‘Will achieve war goals by force’

Russia, Putin said, was still being told it should cease the fighting.

“Ukrainian troops must withdraw from the territories they hold, and then the fighting will cease. If they don’t leave, then we shall achieve this by armed means. That’s it,” Putin said. Russian forces, he said, were advancing in Ukraine at a faster pace.

He added that the pace of Russia’s advance in all directions was “noticeably increasing.”

The Russian President’s comments come as renewed efforts by the Trump administration to end the war in Ukraine, which has been going on for more than four years, are entering crucial stages.

The Trump peace plan calls for Ukraine to cede Donbas to Russia, while fighting will freeze on the front lines at their current positions.

Russia will achieve its goals by force unless Ukraine withdraws, says Vladimir Putin, as peace efforts continue
From left, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and CSTO Secretary General Imangali Tasmagambetov pose for a family photo at the summit of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) at the Administrative complex Yntymak-Manas Ordo, in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025. (Alexei Nikolsky, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

‘Ukrainian leadership is illegitimate’

Putin said that he considered the Ukrainian leadership to be illegitimate and so it was legally impossible to sign a deal with Ukraine, so it was important to ensure any agreement was recognised by the international community – and that the international community recognised Russian gains in Ukraine.

According to the peace plan, Ukraine should hold Presidential elections within hundred days of the ceasefire coming into effect.

Putin also rejected the suggestion that US envoy Steve Witkoff had shown himself to be biased towards Moscow in peace talks over Ukraine, describing it as nonsense.

Earlier this week, Bloomberg published a transcript of the conversation between Witkoff and Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s foreign policy advisor, where the Trump envoy coached the Russian official on how the Russian leader should pitch the peace plan to the US President.

Today’s ePaper

today epaper widget
Loading Taboola...
Latest Comment
Post Comment
Read Comments
Edition
Install the Express App for
a better experience
Featured
Trending Topics
News
Multimedia
Follow Us