September 13, 2025 – Hopes for an early resolution to the Russia-Ukraine war have suffered another blow. On Friday, Russia announced that peace talks with Ukraine have been postponed, marking a setback for US President Donald Trump’s diplomatic efforts to broker an agreement. The conflict, now in its fourth year, shows little sign of abating as Moscow continues its military campaign against Ukrainian cities.
Trump’s Failed Push for Talks
President Trump recently held a high-profile meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, raising expectations that dialogue between Moscow and Kyiv might resume. Following the talks, Trump told reporters that “Russia has agreed to talk,” presenting it as a breakthrough in his peace initiative.
However, within days, Russia escalated airstrikes across Ukraine, striking civilian areas and government facilities. The renewed bombardments cast doubt on Moscow’s sincerity and raised fresh questions about the effectiveness of Washington’s mediation.
Russia Confirms Stalemate
Speaking to reporters, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that the talks have “stagnated.”
“Our conversation is still in touch in different ways, but at the moment it would be right to say that the conversation is stagnated. You cannot expect that a big result came out immediately from the conversation,” Peskov said, according to AFP.
Putin has consistently argued that only a direct summit with Ukrainian leadership could produce meaningful progress. Yet Kyiv remains unwilling to meet Moscow’s conditions, leaving negotiations in limbo.
Previous Talks Brought Little Progress
So far, three rounds of talks in Istanbul produced only limited outcomes, including large-scale prisoner exchanges. But the core issues remain unresolved. Russia continues to demand full control of the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine, a condition Ukraine has flatly rejected.
Kyiv, instead, has pushed for the deployment of European peacekeeping forces to protect its sovereignty. Moscow has dismissed the idea outright, calling it an unacceptable interference.
Ukraine Resists Territorial Concessions
For Ukraine, territorial integrity remains non-negotiable. President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated repeatedly that Kyiv will not accept any agreement that formalizes Russia’s annexations. Public opinion in Ukraine strongly supports this stance, making concessions politically impossible.
Meanwhile, Russia has doubled down on its military objectives. Just last week, it launched one of the most aggressive attacks in months, striking multiple Ukrainian cities. The assault killed several civilians and set ablaze a government building in central Kyiv.
US Warning, But No New Sanctions
In response to the escalation, President Trump warned Moscow of “serious consequences” if attacks continued. Yet, despite his strong words, the United States has not imposed any new sanctions on Russia in recent days. Critics argue that the lack of tangible action undermines Washington’s credibility and emboldens the Kremlin.
For Trump, the stalled talks represent a political setback. He had hoped to leverage progress in the conflict as evidence of his global leadership. Instead, Putin’s latest comments suggest that any breakthrough will take much longer than anticipated.
Outlook: A Long Road Ahead
Analysts note that both Russia and Ukraine remain entrenched in their positions, making compromise unlikely in the near future. While the US and European allies continue to push for dialogue, the gulf between demands and concessions remains wide.
For Moscow, securing Donbas is non-negotiable. For Kyiv, ceding territory would be tantamount to surrender. With both sides holding firm and Russia intensifying military pressure, prospects for peace remain distant.
As Putin bluntly put it: “It will take time.”
Until then, Ukraine continues to endure bombardments, the West struggles to calibrate its response, and millions of civilians remain caught in the crossfire of a war that shows no signs of ending.
