President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian dictator Vladimir Putin are both increasingly skeptical about continuing U.S.-mediated peace talks, even after the end of the war in Iran, the Financial Times reported, citing people familiar with the positions of both sides.
According to the report, both Ukraine and Russia believe the prospects for reviving negotiations under the mediation of U.S. President Donald Trump are limited.
Sources told FT that Putin has shifted his focus toward seizing additional Ukrainian territory by force and plans to expand his ultimatums once Russia establishes control over all of the Donbas region.
At the same time, officials in Kyiv reportedly believe they are now less vulnerable to U.S. pressure aimed at pushing through a rapid and unfavorable settlement after Ukraine managed to halt Russian advances and inflict damage on Moscow through long-range drone strikes deep inside Russian territory.
According to FT’s sources, neither side currently sees much value in continuing the negotiations.
Officials in Kyiv believe the talks effectively reached a dead end after the latest trilateral meeting. Ukrainian diplomats are also said to be frustrated that Washington failed to pressure Putin into softening his demands.
“The American side achieved no progress from Russia. Everything that could be discussed has already been discussed,” one Ukrainian official told the newspaper.
Ukrainian and Russian diplomats reportedly continued holding separate meetings with U.S. representatives Steve Witkoffand Jared Kushner.
However, Putin rejected proposals for European mediation as well as Ukrainian requests to hold a summit on neutral territory, raising further questions about Moscow’s commitment to the peace process, FT concluded.
© 2026 The New Voice of Ukraine
“Sources told FT that Putin has shifted his focus toward seizing additional Ukrainian territory by force and plans to expand his ultimatums once Russia establishes control over all of the Donbas region.”
In his dreams. putler will be 6 feet under before that ever happens, if it even happens.
I think there is nothing left of any attempt by the US to mediate putin’s war. What shred there was is gone since both sides completely ignored Trump’s mediation efforts over V-Day. And then no prisoner swap either? Yeah, the credibility is gone, both sides are ignoring him now. I sure hope Europe comes up with a good rep very soon. I’d like to see Paul Volker or Condi Rice. Who from Europe? Boris? Dalia Grybauskaitė?