Putin ‘deliberately’ makes ‘maximalist’ demands and jeopardizes peace deal

Vladimir Putin has been accused of making excessive demands that could hinder peace negotiations in Ukraine, as talks between the United States and Russia resumed on Tuesday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has agreed to a 30-day ceasefire proposal, which must now be submitted to Moscow for approval, according to Donald Trump.

However, the temporary truce is intended to pave the way for a permanent peace agreement, but Putin’s hardline demands have made negotiations difficult, according to multiple Western officials cited in Bloomberg UK.

The Russian leader has refused to return the territories seized during the three-year conflict and has also rejected the deployment of peacekeeping forces along the Ukraine-Russia border.

Officials believe Putin is making deliberately extreme and unrealistic demands that Ukraine cannot accept.

Tensions between Ukraine and the United States had escalated following a dispute between their leaders several weeks ago, but diplomatic relations have since been restored.

(QG - Source: The Daily Express / Bloomberg UK / Picture: © Unsplash)