Putin threatens to destroy all of Ukraine’s infrastructure and demands Donbas as condition for ceasefire – FT
Russian dictator Putin is demanding that Ukraine surrender the unoccupied parts of Donbas as a precondition for a ceasefire and is planning a winter campaign of strikes on Ukrainian energy and transport infrastructure.
The Financial Times reports this, citing people familiar with the matter, according to Censor.NET.
Moscow’s position
Two participants in back-channel contacts aimed at ending the war told the FT that a ceasefire agreement in Abu Dhabi was unlikely because the Kremlin leader was focused on regaining the upper hand through a brutal winter campaign of strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
Moscow sees shifting the focus from territorial issues to security guarantees as a way to prolong negotiations while Russia weakens Ukraine’s military position, one source said.
Another source said the Russian dictator viewed his strikes as a response to Ukrainian drone attacks on oil refineries and commercial warehouses in Russia and blamed Kyiv for undermining previous ceasefire agreements.
"I will destroy all your infrastructure until you agree. By next year, Ukraine will have no infrastructure left. All bridges, ports, railways, energy infrastructure and power plants will be destroyed," the FT’s source said, recounting Putin’s position.
According to the source, the Kremlin is demanding that Ukraine hand over the rest of eastern Donbas as a precondition for a ceasefire and expects additional territorial concessions in exchange for any security guarantees from NATO countries.
"Security framework" and European concerns
Following Donald Trump’s meeting with Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev at the White House on Thursday, Trump said a sweeping agreement was being prepared that would cover not only Ukraine but also Europe.
The president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner wrote on X that Washington sought to "develop practical arrangements that address the security interests of all parties", including "a lasting framework for European security and stability".
- European officials are concerned about US President Donald Trump’s administration’s plans to negotiate a new European security architecture with Russia as part of a peace settlement to end the war against Ukraine.
They fear Moscow will seek to restore its sphere of influence and undermine the sovereignty of neighboring NATO countries.
