Putin torpedoes Zelensky's ceasefire plan as Trump floats dramatic trip to Ukraine
While President Donald Trump is negotiating with Russian and Ukrainian officials to end the war between the two countries, some in the Russian delegation seem keen on destabilizing progress.
By JON MICHAEL RAASCH, US POLITICAL REPORTER
Published: 16:36 GMT, 29 December 2025 | Updated: 17:05 GMT, 29 December 2025
While President Donald Trump is negotiating with Russian and Ukrainian officials to end the war between the two countries, some in the Russian delegation are already undermining the progress.
Russian President Vladimir Putin's foreign policy advisor, Yuri Ushakov, threw cold water on the current state of negotiations shortly after Trump spoke with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Trump phoned Putin for an hour and 15 minutes on Sunday, Ushakov told Axios that evening, noting that the call was the American's idea.
The call came just before Trump hosted Zelensky at Mar-a-Lago to discuss how to end the war.
Zelensky has stated that he wants a vote by his people to authorize territorial concessions. He argues that a 60-day pause would allow for such a referendum on the concessions and that such a pause is a minimum.
Without such a vote, any territorial deal with Russia would be illegitimate, Zelensky has stated.
But speaking to Axios, Ushakov claimed that Putin and Trump agree that Zelensky's plan for a 60-day ceasefire to get the Ukrainian people on board with ceding parts of the Donbas region to Russia 'will only prolong the conflict.'
Trump and Putin both agree Ukraine 'needs to make a decision about Donbas without delay,' Ushakov said.
President Donald Trump welcomes President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy at his Mar-a-Lago residence for a meeting and closed-door lunch afterwards in Florida, United States on December 28, 2025. The two discussed a peace plan for the Russia-Ukraine war
One of Russian President Vladimir Putin's advisors, Yuri Ushakov, threw cold water on Zelensky's peace plan following the president's meeting with Trump
The comment highlights the Russian delegation's discomfort with a temporary armistice as they seek to extract land and other concessions from Ukraine.
Still, Trump signaled confidence that the negotiations are moving in the right direction after his three-hour meeting with Zelensky on Sunday.