Kremlin claims no preconditions for ending the Ukraine war — Dmitry Peskov

“There are no signs of the Ukrainian conflict ending or any phase of it concluding,” Peskov said.

Despite online reports of "historic meetings" and "the end of the hot phase of the war," Peskov added on Dec. 30 that Putin had no international meetings scheduled for Monday.

Prospects for negotiations to end the war in Ukraine

On Nov. 20, Reuters reported that Vladimir Putin was willing to discuss a ceasefire with Donald Trump but rejected major territorial concessions and insisted that Kyiv abandon its NATO aspirations.

He also claimed Russia was always open to “negotiations” and “compromises” on Ukraine, though he had previously ruled out a war freeze.

On Dec. 20, The Washington Post reported that Trump was expected to meet with Putin in 2025, but analysts doubted the prospects for a peace deal, citing Putin’s maximalist position and Trump’s reluctance to appear weak by making concessions to Russia.

On Dec. 26, Putin suggested that Slovakia could serve as a "negotiating platform" for talks with Ukraine, while rejecting Trump’s proposed "peace plan" for Ukraine, which includes a 10-year freeze on NATO membership, according to ISW analysts.