If Ukraine refuses to cede Donetsk region, Russia plans to withdraw from negotiations, says Bloomberg

A new round of trilateral talks between Ukraine, the United States and Russia in Geneva, Switzerland, on 17 February 2026. Photo: Rustem Umerov

Russian officials are increasingly questioning the advisability of continuing peace talks with Ukraine, mediated by the United States, if Kyiv is not prepared to make territorial concessions in order to reach an agreement.

This was reported by Bloomberg, citing sources close to the Kremlin.

According to the agency's interlocutors, the talks scheduled for next week are seen as key to understanding whether the parties have a real chance of agreeing on the terms for ending the war. The sources note that Russia may withdraw from the negotiation process if Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy does not agree to concessions.

According to the sources, Moscow is ready to sign a draft memorandum on a peace agreement on condition that Ukraine agrees to withdraw its troops from the Donetsk region. After that, they say, a presidential summit could be held with the participation of Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky to politically confirm the agreements, which would provide for the mutual withdrawal of Russian and Ukrainian troops.

Russia also agrees to US-led monitoring of the ceasefire, while opposing the deployment of foreign troops on Ukrainian territory. In addition, according to sources, Moscow is ready to abandon its demand to limit the size of the Ukrainian army.

The future of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant remains a separate subject of negotiations. According to sources, Russia supports a trilateral model of electricity distribution between Russia, the US and Ukraine, while Kyiv insists on a 50/50 format with the US, which will have the right to independently transfer electricity to Moscow.

We will remind you that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently stated that Kyiv is ready for real compromises in the negotiations but will not accept ultimatums from Russia.