No Breakthrough in Peace Efforts; West Prepares to Continue Ukraine War Until 2027

Bloomberg reported that European and American officials acknowledged the Russian-Ukraine war will persist into next year, as the latest U.S. peace initiative has made no tangible progress with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The agency added that Putin intends to intensify attacks on Ukraine during the winter months to test its ability to withstand pressure and gauge the resolve of Kyiv’s allies.

European officials said envoys of former U.S. President Donald Trump, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, achieved no concrete progress during talks held over the weekend in both Moscow and Kyiv.

Assistant to the Russian President for Foreign Affairs, Yuri Ushakov, stated that Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump had a "very constructive and frank" discussion about the outcomes of the envoys' visits during a one-hour phone call on Tuesday, noting they agreed to remain in contact.

In related developments, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed hope for a meeting with Trump late in September.

Zelensky clarified that discussions with American and European allies will continue at the national security advisor level, and Ukraine aims to hold additional trilateral talks involving Washington and Moscow during the fall season.

According to Interfax news agency, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Tuesday that Russia expects the resumption of trilateral negotiations with Ukraine and the United States, and remains open to reaching a peaceful resolution to the war.

President Putin seeks full control over the entire eastern Donbas region of Ukraine as part of any agreement to end the war.

In contrast, Ukraine has repeatedly rejected demands to hand over a series of fortified cities in that area—cities the Russian forces have failed to capture since fighting began in 2014—and instead proposed halting the conflict along current frontlines to create space for negotiations.

The White House, in a statement on Saturday, noted that the envoys "discussed fundamental plans for next steps" during their meeting with Putin.