Putin wants to get maximum concessions from the United States - Institute for the Study of War
Kyiv • UNN
The Kremlin is forming a negotiating team according to the composition of the American delegation to obtain maximum concessions. russia seeks to restore access to frozen reserves and diplomatic missions in the United States.
The Kremlin dictator Vladimir Putin is trying to optimize the Russian delegation at the talks (with the United States - ed.) in order to get maximum concessions from the United States. This was reported in an analytical summary by the Institute for the Study of War ISW, according to UNN.
Details
ISW analysts cite the report as saying that Putin is trying to optimize the Russian delegation to the talks. He is doing this to ensure that his team of representatives will be most effective with the specific individuals the United States chooses for its negotiating delegation. “Probably trying to get the most concessions from the United States,” the Institute's researchers suggest.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Putin will appoint a negotiator for talks with the United States after the United States appoints its own negotiator.
According to the Institute for the Study of War, the Russian media outlet Meduza reported, citing a source close to the Kremlin, that the United States was the first to select its delegation for bilateral talks in Saudi Arabia, after which Russia tried to “find suitable” colleagues for each of the selected American officials.
The Moscow Times reported, citing a diplomatic source familiar with the February 18 Russian-American meeting, that the Kremlin is seeking to restore access to the Central Bank of Russia's frozen reserves in the United States, worth about $6 billion
The source claimed that the Russian delegation at the talks in Saudi Arabia insisted that the United States agree that both countries will fully resume the work of their diplomatic missions, as well as on the return of Russian diplomatic property to the United States, which was previously confiscated by the US authorities on charges of using it for intelligence purposes.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the United States and Russia have agreed to restore “the functionality of (their - ed.) respective missions in Washington and Moscow.
It appears that the Kremlin is trying to push the United States to accept economic and diplomatic conditions unrelated to the war in Ukraine, possibly in exchange for concessions by Ukraine and the West that are related to the war. Acceptance by the United States of these economic and diplomatic terms - without demanding any Russian concessions on Ukraine in return - would give the United States the leverage it needs to achieve President Donald Trump's stated goal of a lasting and durable peace that benefits the United States and Ukraine
On February 18, Rubio and National Security Advisor Michael Waltz confirmed that US President Donald Trump's position that the war in Ukraine should end in a “just, lasting, sustainable, and acceptable manner for all parties involved” remains unchanged.
Rubio later said that concessions “must be made by all sides” to end the war.
He emphasized that the war can only end when “all those involved in the war” - which clearly included Ukraine, Russia, and the US partners in Europe - “agree” and accept an agreement to end the war.
Asked about his assessment of Russia's willingness to reach peace after the talks in Saudi Arabia, Rubio said that Russia seemed ready to “begin a serious process to determine” a mechanism to end the war, but that the outcome would depend on the willingness of each party to the war to “agree to certain things.
ISW's key findings for February 19:
- Putin is reportedly trying to optimize the Russian negotiating team to be most effective with the specific individuals the United States chooses for its negotiating team, likely in an effort to extract maximum concessions from the United States.
- On February 18, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Michael Waltz confirmed that U.S. President Donald Trump's position that the war in Ukraine must end in a “just, lasting, sustainable, and acceptable manner for all parties involved” remains unchanged.
- On February 19, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reiterated that Ukraine needs either NATO membership or strong military and security guarantees to achieve sustainable peace.
- US Special Representative for Russia and Ukraine Keith Kellogg arrived in Kyiv on February 19 for his first official visit to Ukraine.
- Ukrainian troops continue to conduct drone strikes against Russian energy facilities that supply electricity to the Russian military.
- Ukrainian troops advanced near Vovchansk and Toretsk, while Russian troops advanced near Borova, Siversk, Pokrovsk, Kurakhove and Velyka Novosilka.
- According to reports, Russian regions are suspending the recruitment of foreigners who do not speak Russian to serve in the Russian army.
Recall
Donald Trump announced a possible meeting with Putin this month to discuss the war in Ukraine. Secretary of State Rubio confirmed that a specific date for the summit has not yet been set.
US intelligence says Putin is not interested in “a real peace deal”18.02.25, 22:50 • 30769 views