Putin Says a 'Final Peace Agreement' on Ukraine Must Be Discussed; Occupied Territories Cannot Be Returned

[Financial News] Russian President Vladimir Putin, who recently said negotiations to end the war in Ukraine would resume, stressed that he wants a final agreement to end the conflict. He said a future agreement should also address security across Europe, and claimed that Ukrainian territory already seized belongs to Russia.
French newspaper Le Monde and other foreign media outlets reported that Putin made the remarks in an interview with state media on the 22nd (local time). On peace negotiations, he said, “The goal of the talks is not a short-term, temporary ceasefire, but to ensure the security of Ukraine and Russia after a peace agreement in its final form is concluded.” He added, “We are ready to resume the talks to achieve these goals.”
The previous day, Putin met with Steve Witkoff, the U.S. president’s special envoy for peace, who was visiting St. Petersburg, Russia, and discussed negotiations to end the war. That same day, Yuri Ushakov, a foreign policy aide to the Russian president, said Putin had agreed in principle during their talks to resume trilateral negotiations among the United States, Russia and Ukraine after November 10. If the talks go ahead, discussions among the three countries on ending the war will resume for the first time in about nine months, since last February. In an interview with Russia 24, Russia’s state broadcaster, Ushakov said the trilateral talks could be held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
On the 22nd, Putin said U.S. envoy Witkoff had stressed that the “security architecture for all of Europe” should also be discussed, adding, “I agree as well. Let’s see how the situation develops over the next few days.”
The biggest sticking point in peace negotiations is the issue of territory seized by Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has been resisting Russia’s invasion for more than four years, said he could resume peace talks after meeting Witkoff in Oslo, Norway, on the 20th. However, he maintains that he cannot give up the territory seized from Ukraine.
In an interview on the 22nd, Putin claimed of eastern Ukraine occupied by Russia, “It is not their [Ukraine’s] territory. Historically, it is Russian territory.” He added that in a referendum held in the occupied territories seven months after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, residents had chosen to become part of Russia.
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