‘There is only one line of demarcation — the state border’: Ahead of talks with U.S., Putin calls lasting peace impossible with ‘gray zones’

Ahead of talks with U.S. special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed Ukrainian territories Russia claims. He emphasized that for Russia, the only line of demarcation is the state border. Putin stated that different sides often have differing perceptions of "gray zones," making agreements unstable and leading to no lasting peace.

During these upcoming discussions in Abu Dhabi, Kushner and Witkoff proposed Ukraine to formally adjust the borders of Donbas, which would allow Moscow to claim full control over the region, while Kyiv would not need to relinquish unoccupied territory. However, Ukraine rejected this suggestion. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky alleged that Russian representatives overstated the extent of territory controlled by Russian forces during the Abu Dhabi talks.

NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Alexus Grynkewich, who was present, affirmed that Ukraine's interpretation of the demarcation line aligns more closely with the facts. Meduza, the news source, ensures transparency in its use of artificial intelligence in journalism, with this story being penned by a human journalist and translated from Russian using an AI tool that adheres to their stringent editorial standards.

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