Kremlin demands full capitulation from Ukraine, rejects compromise in peace talks — ISW

One of Russia’s top propagandists, Margarita Simonyan, called on Moscow to reject the reported U.S. proposal to freeze the front lines and block Ukraine from joining NATO. She claimed the plan failed to include “denazification” or recognition of occupied Ukrainian territories, and attempted to “delegitimize Ukraine and the U.S. as negotiating partners.” Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chair of Russia’s Security Council, urged the U.S. to “wash its hands” of the matter and let Russia “deal with” the war more quickly.

Kremlin officials — including dictator Vladimir Putin — have repeatedly said they will not accept any peace agreement that does not meet all of Russia’s territorial and political demands regarding Ukraine. Moscow continues to assert that Putin remains committed to achieving his full list of objectives, including demilitarization and “denazification,” which entails reducing Ukraine’s military forces and installing a pro-Russian puppet government in Kyiv.

Putin has also called on Ukraine to surrender territories that remain under its control, and Russian officials are likely raising these demands at the negotiating table, ISW said.

Analysts believe that this persistent stance has shaped Russian public expectations that these conditions will be fulfilled under any eventual resolution of the war in Ukraine. ISW maintains that the Kremlin has not abandoned its long-standing goals, and Russian officials continue to openly state their refusal to compromise.

The institute also noted a resurgence of Kremlin narratives framing the removal of the so-called “root causes” of the war as a precondition for peace. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov previously claimed those “causes” include NATO’s eastward expansion and the alleged “discrimination” against the Russian language and culture in Ukraine.

“These so-called root causes are a reference to Russia’s prewar demands, which amount to Ukraine’s full capitulation and the establishment of a pro-Russian government,” the analysis said.

ISW stressed that while Kremlin officials try to appear open to negotiations, their continued insistence on prewar demands shows the opposite. Meanwhile, Ukraine is demonstrating a willingness to negotiate for a durable peace.

On April 18, U.S. President Donald Trump stated the United States would exit the peace talks between Russia and Ukraine if either side “complicates” the process too much. His comment followed remarks from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said the U.S. expects to see progress toward peace in the coming days, or else the talks would be deemed “unviable.”