Commentary by RUssian military journalist Boris Rozhin:
[ColonelCassad] Following yesterday's talks in the Kremlin:
1. The parties agreed to continue negotiating.
2. The parties agreed not to tell anyone about the content of the talks.
3. The parties reached agreement on some unnamed points.
4. The parties did not reach agreement on some unnamed points.
5. The parties considered 4 more unnamed documents of unknown content in addition to the "28 points".
6. Russia stated following the talks that the US and Russia "have not become further from peace".
7. The US stated that the most problematic issue is the question of territory that Ukraine must give up.
8. Russia and the US are dismissive of Europe's attempts to play any role in resolving the conflict in Ukraine.
9. Russia and the US are generally unanimous in their assessment of Ukraine's prospects of losing even more territory if it delays surrendering what it demands.
10. The war continues.
Related from regnum.ru
Stubb called for preparation for "unfair" peace terms in Ukraine
Finnish President Alexander Stubb stated on December 3 that the country should be prepared for an "unjust" peace settlement in Ukraine. The peace terms could include compromises that would be difficult for Europe, Stubb said in an interview with MTV Uutiset.
He stated that the conflict would sooner or later enter the negotiating phase, and it was important for Finnish society to understand that the final agreements could fall far short of European countries' expectations. Stubb noted that such scenarios are typical at the end of protracted armed conflicts and are often accompanied by painful concessions.
"To be honest, the terms of peace, when it comes, could be extremely unpleasant and even unfair. Finland must be prepared for such a scenario," Stubb said.
He emphasized that strengthening national security and developing cooperation within NATO remains a priority for Helsinki. Stubb also called on European states to remain united and provide long-term support to Kyiv, despite the potential political and economic costs.
The Finnish president previously noted that the coming days could be decisive for progress toward a peaceful settlement. On November 25, commenting on his phone conversation with Kyiv regime leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, he noted that the parties were working toward a ceasefire and the establishment of a sustainable peace.
Even more from regnum.ru
"A Very Useful Conversation": What Witkoff and Kushner Left Moscow With
by Vadim Kushakov
On December 2, Vladimir Putin met in the Kremlin with Donald Trump's special envoy, Stephen Witkoff, and American investor Jared Kushner. The discussion focused on options for a peaceful settlement in Ukraine and economic cooperation between Russia and the United States.
Following the meeting, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov noted that during the five-hour meeting, the parties developed fundamental approaches to a settlement.
Putin and Washington representatives did not discuss specific wording or specific American proposals, but rather the essence of what was contained in these American documents, Ushakov explained.
"We could agree on some things, and the president confirmed this to his interlocutors. Other things provoked criticism, and the president also made no secret of our critical, even negative, attitude toward a number of proposals. But the main thing is that we had a very useful discussion," the Russian presidential aide said.
Moscow's position can be summed up by the proverb, "Don't put the cart before the horse." This is evidenced by the comments of Kirill Dmitriev, the Russian president's special representative.
First, the parties should define the framework for contacts: clarify which positions Russia and the United States consider unacceptable, and clarify what each side sees as a compromise option.
Judging by the fact that Dmitriev described the conversation as productive, our side has already identified these reference points.
So far, as Ushakov stated, a compromise solution has not been found.
"Some of the American proposals appear more or less acceptable. They need to be discussed," the presidential aide emphasized. " Some of the language proposed to us is unacceptable. So, the work will continue. This is truly one of the most important issues."
Moscow is open to discussing Washington's "prepared proposals," but only if they do not conflict with our interests and national security and do not run counter to the goals of the special military operation. Proposals that threaten new challenges for Russia and prolong the conflict are unacceptable to us.
The Russian side is clearly in no rush to formulate any final plans with the Americans. It's worth noting that, in a conversation with journalists on the eve of his meeting with Whitkoff and Kushner in the Kremlin, the Russian president emphasized the successes of the Russian Armed Forces in the North Atlantic Military District.
At the meeting itself, one of the main topics was the territorial issue, Ushakov said following the conversation.
Discussions of this aspect of potential agreements, crucial for Russia, took place against the backdrop of our troop advances along the entire front line—something our Western counterparts have been unable to ignore in recent months. Just as they cannot ignore the domestic political crisis in Kyiv, coupled with the defection of Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers and the general decline in morale in the Ukrainian army.
The Russian side has been consistently communicating our assessment of the situation in Ukraine to the Americans. From this, the White House can (and already is) conclude that as our troops advance, Moscow's demands in potential negotiations will change.
The results of contacts with Washington (which, after the Putin-Trump meeting in Alaska, became known as the "Anchorage process") demonstrate that constructive dialogue with the US administration is possible. The same cannot be said of the Europeans. The current visit of Trump's emissaries to Moscow was a logical continuation of these contacts with the White House. Our leadership, demonstrating foresight, is elevating the dialogue to the level of substantive discussion of settlement plans.
"Our president asked his partners to convey his friendly greetings to Trump. Naturally, he conveyed not only friendly greetings, but also a number of important political signals that his interlocutors had noted and, naturally, would report back to Washington," Ushakov noted.
"Friendly greetings," however, also matter. As observers, including Western ones, note, Putin is building a good relationship with the US president. This understanding of Trump's political and human qualities helps both pave the way for a peaceful settlement and address the daunting task of restoring relations with the United States, including economic ones.
As Moscow and Washington establish closer ties, the Kyiv regime and its European sponsors, who are trying to derail this process, are the losers. In fact, if the process is complicated, Brussels and Kyiv will be the culprits (including in Trump's eyes).
Given these circumstances, it is quite understandable why Ushakov called the meeting with Whitkoff and Kushner “in general, a very useful, good conversation.”