Nearly four years ago, Vladimir Putin started a full-scale war on Ukraine that continues to this day. Warfare in this protracted conflict has resulted in over half a million deaths and displaced two-thirds of the country’s 12 million inhabitants. The international community has yet to find an effective solution. At the same time, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff’s negotiations have once more run into a dead end, epitomizing how inflexibly intransigent the current Russian leadership is.
Putin’s refusal to entertain any significant compromises regarding territorial control and Ukraine’s political future has left many observers questioning the viability of ongoing discussions. His initial rejection of any deal was widely anticipated, as he has consistently demonstrated an unwillingness to budge on critical issues.
During a recent five-hour negotiation at the Kremlin, Putin sat down with Witkoff and Jared Kushner, flanked by foreign policy advisers Yuri Ushakov and Kirill Dmitriev. Even after all those talks, there was very little movement on either side, back to square one with all the original sticking points.
“The thing is that the first direct exchange of views was conducted yesterday, and again, as it was said yesterday, some [proposals] were accepted, and some were called unacceptable, which is a normal working process in the search for a compromise.” – Dmitry Peskov
Putin appears to be particularly irked with Witkoff’s hard-bargaining tactics. He doesn’t want to have to make anymore deals with him in the Kremlin. He conveyed his preconditions for any deal with lucidness and no-nonsense firmness. This realization played into his narrative as the one and only decider for Russia.
With negotiations stalled, many analysts have argued that Putin has the most leverage—to stop the war—from the Russian side. Given this dynamic, there’s a good chance that direct messages from Western leaders in the coming days could affect his strategy.
In the past, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio has emphasized Putin’s singular authority in this matter, stating, “Ultimately the decisions have to be made, in the case of Russia, by Putin alone. Not his advisers, Putin only. Putin can end this war on the Russian side.” This assertion gets to the heart of an important reality. To see any dramatic turnaround in the war, the Russian autocrat will need to take a bold step.
This costly war continues to exact a heavy human cost and significant geopolitical implications. It has created a tangle of complicated negotiations between everyone involved. Fortunately, many of the world’s countries are doing just that—practicing and preaching dialogue and cooperation in order to establish greater peace. Putin’s hardline position leaves little space for a compromise.