He gave a "signal": Putin's latest statements show his real attitude towards peace talks with Ukraine – ISW

On January 24, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin made a number of statements through Russian propaganda media about the Kremlin's alleged readiness for "negotiations on the Ukrainian issue." He accused Ukraine of being unwilling to sit down at the negotiating table and hinted that he and U.S. President Donald Trump should decide Ukraine's fate.

These and other statements by the dictator show that: Putin is trying to hide his unwillingness to actually end the aggressive war against Ukraine by continuing to insist on the complete surrender of our country. These are the conclusions of the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

The day before, on January 24, Putin's interview with one of the Kremlin's propagandists was made public, in which the dictator said that he was allegedly ready to negotiate "on the Ukrainian issue," but that President Zelenskyy's 2022 decree on the "impossibility of negotiating" with Putin was a significant obstacle to peace talks.

"Putin falsely claimed that Ukraine and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy are not interested in peace talks and that Russia and Ukraine cannot discuss 'anything serious' with the decree in place. Putin noted that any peace agreements that emerge from negotiations between Russia and Ukraine before Ukraine revokes the 2022 decree will be "illegitimate," and added that the West should force Zelenskyy to cancel the decree," ISW noted.

The dictator did not ignore his favorite topic of Zelenskyy's "illegitimacy" either. He hinted that he and Trump should decide the fate of Ukraine because this way the two leaders can "calmly" discuss their interests.

The ISW noted that the Kremlin dictator has mentioned the decree prohibiting the Ukrainian president from negotiating with Putin many times before, but the increased attention to this topic that he demonstrated this time is "another attempt to divert attention from his unwillingness to participate in peace talks to end the war in Ukraine."

Analysts recalled that Zelenskyy signed the decree banning talks with Putin in September 2022, the same day that Russia annexed four Ukrainian regions – Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia – including those parts of the regions that Russian troops failed to occupy.

The fact that the ban on negotiations with Putin is precisely a response to the illegal annexation is also stated in the text of the document.

Despite this, the ISW adds, Zelenskyy has consistently shown a willingness to "negotiate with Russia and make certain compromises to achieve peace." He outlined clear conditions for potential negotiations with Russia and emphasized the importance of preserving Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, developing Ukraine's defense industry, and securing security guarantees from Western allies.

"Zelenskyy has repeatedly advocated for a diplomatic solution to the war, suggesting that Ukraine should enter any peace talks from a 'position of strength' – a strategy aimed at forcing Russia to engage in good faith negotiations and consider fair compromises in such negotiations. Zelenskyy also invited Russian representatives to participate in the upcoming second Global Peace Summit. Kremlin officials have consistently rejected these initiatives, calling Ukraine's proposed peace formula and platforms "unviable."... Zelenskyy continued to express openness to direct talks and acknowledged the possibility of a diplomatic compromise as part of a broader solution to the war, despite Russia's repeated refusals," ISW noted.

Meanwhile, Putin is sending completely different signals to both his domestic audience and the world. Analysts are convinced that he is not interested in peace, except on the terms of Ukraine's complete surrender. The interview is aimed at making Russians realize that Russia is unlikely to participate in peace talks in the near future, so they should not expect the war to end soon.

The message is also aimed at those Russian elites who want the war to end: analysts believe it should "cut off" questions to the Kremlin about how exactly Putin intends to end the aggression.

"Putin and other Kremlin officials have repeatedly stated that they are willing to negotiate Ukraine with the United States or other mediators, but have yet to demonstrate a willingness to negotiate with Ukraine or compromise on Putin's demands to replace Zelenskyy and his government with a pro-Russian puppet regime that would destroy the Ukrainian army, render Ukraine unable to defend itself against future Russian aggression, and ensure a permanent ban on Ukraine's future NATO membership," ISW emphasized.

Therefore, Putin's appeals to Zelenskyy's decree banning talks with him are intended, on the one hand, to hide the dictator's lack of interest in real negotiations, and, on the other hand, to create tension between Ukraine and its Western allies so that the discussion of Ukraine's negotiating position comes to the fore, rather than Moscow's attempts to avoid or at least delay peace talks.

This desire to delay, analysts say, is based on Putin's belief that Russia will be able to fight longer than the West will help Ukraine, and eventually, Russia will be able to do whatever it wants with a weakened and abandoned neighboring state.

"The West must demonstrate its continued commitment to helping and arming Ukraine to force Putin to reconsider his theory of victory and his demands. Continued Western military support to enable Ukraine to withstand Russian aggression now and in the future is the best course of action for the West to bring Putin to the negotiating table and secure the concessions Russia needs to achieve a peace that is in the interests of America, Europe, and Ukraine," ISW emphasized.

The analysts also noted another point: in the interview, Putin desperately tried to present himself as Trump's equal, which indicates his growing confidence that Russia is a key geopolitical player and "the great power heir to the Soviet Union."

"Putin emphasized that Russia shares interests with the United States, particularly in the global economy, and suggested that he and Trump could have 'calm, pragmatic' discussions, hinting that the two leaders could bypass direct talks with Ukraine. Putin's statements demonstrate his continued belief that Ukraine is merely a proxy for the West and continue his longstanding narrative that his war in Ukraine is a broader conflict between Russia and the West that only the great powers can resolve... Putin's insistence on minimizing or neutralizing Ukraine's role in negotiations over Ukraine's future blatantly ignores Ukraine's sovereignty and is indicative of an attempt to elevate Russia to a global power while marginalizing some Western allies in an attempt to weaken the broader NATO alliance," ISW summarized.

Earlier, ISW said that Russia had launched an information operation to demonstrate its economic power. The statements of Russian top officials, led by Putin, are aimed at creating the belief that the Russian economy is allegedly developing rapidly, although macroeconomic indicators indicate the opposite.

Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!