Kremlin and Trump's Peace Prospects for Ukraine: A Diplomatic Tug-of-War

The Kremlin has noted peace plan discussions around Trump's circle concerning Ukraine. Mike Waltz expresses Trump's concern over the Russia-Ukraine conflict escalation. Kremlin's Peskov highlighted differences with the Biden administration's approach. Moscow's peace terms involve Ukraine dropping NATO aspirations and ceding territory, terms unacceptable to Kyiv.

The Kremlin acknowledged on Monday discussions emerging from President-elect Donald Trump's team regarding a peace plan for Ukraine. Meanwhile, they noted, the current U.S. administration led by Joe Biden seems to be leaning towards escalating the conflict.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov responded to questions about an interview with Trump's national security adviser nominee, Mike Waltz, on Fox News. Waltz highlighted Trump's concerns over the ongoing escalation between Russia and Ukraine, emphasizing the need for a 'responsible end' to the conflict.

Waltz pointed to various international involvements, including North Korea and Iran, Russia's hypersonic missile use, and Western nations allowing Kyiv to target deep inside Russia; South Korea's potential involvement was also noted. Peskov remarked that Trump support circles frequently mention 'peace', a term absent from Biden's current stance, urging Ukraine to forego NATO ambitions and surrender territory claimed by Russia—conditions Kyiv finds unacceptable.