Putin draws the line: Conflict ends only if Ukraine withdraws

WISE NEWS PRESS / BISHKEK, KYRGYZSTAN — NOVEMBER 27, 2025

Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that for the ongoing conflict in Ukraine to end, the Kyiv administration must withdraw its troops from the regions claimed by Moscow, warning that otherwise, they would achieve their goals through "military means."

Speaking during his visit to Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, the Russian leader argued that stopping the Russian army on the ground is "practically impossible." Putin also confirmed that they would meet with a US delegation in Moscow next week as part of the diplomatic traffic aimed at ending the war.

"We will end military operations"

Demanding the complete transfer of control of four regions in eastern and southern Ukraine (Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia) to Moscow, Putin clarified his conditions with the following words:

"If Ukrainian troops withdraw from the territories they hold, we will also end military operations. There is very little that can be done against this."

Noting that the Russian army has surrounded the strategic cities of Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad in the Donetsk region, Putin noted that the troops are also continuing their advance on the Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia lines.

Critical summit with the US next week

Putin announced that diplomatic contacts would continue in the shadow of the controversial 28-point plan prepared by the Washington administration to end the Ukraine war. A delegation led by US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to arrive in Moscow next week.

Confirming the meeting, Putin stated that the delegation is expected in the first half of next week and that a wide range of issues will be discussed during the talks. Representatives from the Foreign Ministry and the Presidential Administration will be present at the table on behalf of Russia.

"Economic retaliation" warning to Europe

Sending a message to the European Union in his speech, Putin reiterated that Moscow has no intention of attacking EU states. However, emphasizing that they would not remain silent if the West seizes frozen Russian assets or uses them for Ukraine, Putin stated that they are ready to respond with "economic retaliation measures."

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