Vladimir Putin is playing with the highest stakes! Kremlin is deliberately making maximalist demands on Kiev

Russian President Vladimir Putin has no intention of compromising on his demands for territory, peacekeeping forces and neutrality for Ukraine in any peace talks, complicating US President Donald Trump's efforts to resolve the conflict, Bloomberg reports, citing sources.

A media article states that Putin is deliberately making "maximalist" demands on the eve of talks to end the war, knowing that they will most likely be unacceptable to the Ukrainians and Europe.

According to the publication's sources, the Russian head of state is ready to continue fighting if he fails to achieve his goals.

Bloomberg writes that the assessment of Putin's intentions casts doubt on his seriousness about negotiating a realistic and lasting peace agreement with Ukraine. This also contradicts the views expressed by Trump at the White House, where he told reporters that he believes Putin “wants peace“.

Last week, the agency reported that Russia had expressed readiness to discuss a temporary ceasefire under certain conditions. Russia's long-standing demands include Ukraine's adherence to “neutrality“, international recognition of “claims“ Moscow's annexation of occupied territories and opposition to European peacekeeping forces.

All of these goals contradict the conditions for a “just and lasting peace”, as outlined by US allies, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron. They are currently trying to assemble a “coalition of the willing” to secure such a truce.

According to the assessment of Western security officials, Putin sees no incentive to back down from the hardline positions that have long defined Russia's approach to Ukraine, despite Trump's promise to end the conflict.

The publication emphasizes that Russia's idea is to accuse Zelensky of not agreeing to any agreement, and that he is the one who wants to continue the war with the support of European neighbors.

According to the publication, this will accelerate further divisions in NATO, which have already been clearly manifested at European summits over the past month.