(Bishkek, November 27) Russian President Vladimir Putin said he would end the offensive against Ukraine if Ukrainian troops withdrew from territories claimed by Moscow; otherwise, Russian forces would seize those areas by force.
At a press conference in Bishkek on Thursday (November 27) after concluding a visit to Kyrgyzstan, Putin said, "If Ukrainian troops withdraw from the territories they occupy, we will cease hostilities. Otherwise, we will achieve this goal through military means."
Russia controls approximately one-fifth of Ukraine's territory. The issue of occupied territories is a major sticking point in the Russia-Ukraine peace process.
The 28-point peace plan drafted by the United States, which demands that Kyiv cede territory, disarm, and pledge never to join NATO, has sparked discontent in Kyiv and Europe. The US and Ukraine held talks in Geneva on November 23, and it was reported that the two sides revised and reduced the 28-point plan to 19 points, but the new version has not yet been released.
At the press conference, Putin revealed that the US and Ukraine decided in Geneva to split the 28 points into four parts and have sent copies to Moscow. "Overall, we agree that this can serve as the basis for future agreements. We see that the US side has taken our position into consideration."
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Putin claimed that Russian forces had encircled Ukrainian troops in Pokrovsk and Myrnograd in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine. Ukraine, however, insisted that its troops were still blocking the enemy along the front lines.
Putin added that Russian forces were also advancing in the border town of Vovchansk in the Kharkiv region and Siversk in the Donetsk region, and were approaching the important logistical hub of Guliaipole.
Regarding Putin's territorial claims, Volodymyr Zelensky's chief of staff, Yermak, firmly denied that Ukraine would relinquish territory. In an interview published Thursday in the American magazine *The Atlantic*, he said, "As long as Zelensky is president, there's no need to expect us to give up territory. He won't sign any agreement to cede territory."
Yermak said, "What we can really talk about now is drawing a line of contact," referring to the 1,100-kilometer-long front.
Zelenskyy revealed on Thursday that US and Ukrainian delegations are scheduled to meet this week to discuss key points reached at the Geneva talks, aiming to develop a plan that can lead Ukraine to peace and security guarantees. Yermak also revealed that US Army Secretary Driscoll will visit Kyiv this week.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian anti-corruption officials searched Yermak's office. The Special Prosecutor's Office for Anti-Corruption announced on Telegram on Friday: "This search was authorized and is part of an investigation. Details will be released later."
