An irreconcilable deadlock remains between Russia and Ukraine in negotiations to end the conflict.

Photo caption — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (left) and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Photo: PAP-THX/VNA

Euronews reported on the afternoon of December 16th, citing a statement by Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov that same day, that Moscow would not accept any "compromise" regarding the Ukrainian territories annexed by the Russian Federation.

Ryabkov said Moscow has not lowered its demands and wants to maintain control over five regions of Ukraine (which have been annexed by the Russian Federation): Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson.

According to Euronews, of these five regions, apart from Crimea, which was annexed in 2014, and most of the Luhansk region, the Russian Federation currently does not fully control any of the remaining three regions: Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson. In fact, in Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, Russian forces do not even control the regional capitals.

Regarding this issue, the Ukrainian newspaper The Kyiv Post reported that, according to sources, the US supports the Russian Federation's demand that Ukraine cede the Luhansk and Donetsk provinces in the Donbass region, including areas not currently under Moscow's control, as well as parts of the Zaporizhzhia, Kherson provinces and the Crimean Peninsula.

However, Kyiv continues to reject pressure from the US demanding territorial concessions, including withdrawal from certain areas in Donbass that Russian forces have not yet fully captured on the battlefield.

Speaking to reporters on the evening of December 15, President Zelensky said: “Donbass (including Donetsk and Luhansk) is a very important issue for me. First of all, since I have started talking about the eastern part of our country, let's continue.”

The Ukrainian leader emphasized: “Regarding the position of the Russian Federation, it has remained unchanged so far. They know very well that they want our Donbass. Our position is realistic, feasible, and fair; we stand by it, and we do not want to give up our Donbass.”

President Zelensky added: “The Americans want to find a compromise. They are proposing a free economic zone. I want to emphasize again: a free economic zone does not mean being under the control of the Russian Federation. These are very important characteristics for me in any framework concerning Donbass. Both legally (de jure) and in practice (de facto), we will not recognize Donbass as belonging to the Russian Federation.”

The above statements were made while negotiations aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict were still underway.

The problem now, according to US President Donald Trump, is that "everyone says they want to end it, and then suddenly they don't." Therefore, the US leader stated, "we have to get them back on the same page, but I think that's progressing."

Meanwhile, according to Ukraine's The Kyiv Post on December 16, US officials said negotiations had made significant progress, with broad consensus on security guarantees, economic reconstruction, and narrowing differences related to territorial issues.

In a press briefing, U.S. officials said the U.S. delegation had more than eight hours of direct talks with President Zelensky and conducted extensive meetings with European leaders, including senior officials from Germany, the United Kingdom, and France.

An official described the talks as “really very, very positive on almost every front,” adding that the parties had reached consensus on many key issues for a future peace agreement.

The most significant progress achieved was a comprehensive security guarantee package for Ukraine, described as the strongest ever proposed.

"This is the most robust security framework they've ever seen," one official said, calling it "an extremely strong package."

Officials said these guarantees are “similar in nature to Article 5 (of the NATO Charter)” but go further, encompassing mechanisms for military monitoring, verification, deterrence, and conflict avoidance. Another official described the framework as “the platinum standard for what can be provided.”

Source: https://baolamdong.vn/diem-nghen-khong-the-thoa-hiep-giua-nga-va-ukraine-trong-dam-phan-cham-dut-xung-dot-410987.html