Putin issues an ultimatum to end the Ukraine war: no NATO expansion eastward and immediate sanctions relief, challenging President Trump’s peace efforts.
Key Takeaways
- Putin demands a written pledge from Western powers prohibiting NATO membership for Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova as his primary condition for ending the conflict.
- Russia wants Ukraine to remain neutral, sanctions lifted, the resolution of frozen Russian assets, and protection for Russian speakers in Ukraine.
- President Trump has warned Putin of additional sanctions if peace talks stall, stating the U.S. will know within two weeks if Russia is serious about ending the war.
- The Kremlin believes it can sustain the conflict for years despite Western sanctions, citing Ukraine’s depleted military capabilities.
- Kyiv opposes granting Russia veto power over its NATO aspirations and seeks stronger security guarantees from Western allies.
Putin’s Non-Negotiable Peace Terms
Russian President Vladimir Putin has laid out specific conditions for ending the Ukraine conflict, with NATO expansion being his primary concern. According to multiple reports, Putin is demanding a formal written guarantee from Western leaders to halt NATO’s eastward expansion, specifically preventing Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova from joining the alliance. This condition addresses what the Kremlin has long considered the root cause of the conflict—Western military encroachment on Russia’s borders. Putin also requires the lifting of certain economic sanctions that have been imposed on Russia since the war began.
“Putin is ready to make peace but not at any price,” said one senior Russian source, with knowledge of top-level Kremlin thinking.
The Russian leader has agreed to work on a peace memorandum with Ukraine, but Moscow is still drafting its version of the document. Beyond NATO expansion and sanctions relief, Putin’s demands include Ukrainian neutrality, protections for Russian speakers in Ukraine, and resolution of frozen Russian assets abroad. These terms reveal Putin’s determination to emerge from the conflict with tangible diplomatic victories that justify the war’s cost to the Russian public and elite.
BIG: Putin’s conditions to end the war include a written pledge to halt NATO’s eastward expansion — officially excluding Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, and other ex-Soviet states from membership.
Russia also wants Ukrainian neutrality, some Western sanctions lifted, frozen assets… pic.twitter.com/XvJPMujlsO
— Clash Report (@clashreport) May 28, 2025
Trump’s Response to Putin’s Demands
President Trump has taken a firm stance against Putin’s latest posturing, warning that Russia could face additional sanctions if it fails to engage seriously in peace negotiations. Trump criticized Putin’s recent military actions in eastern Ukraine, suggesting the Russian leader is “playing with fire” by continuing offensive operations while peace talks are underway. This represents a significant challenge to Trump’s campaign promise to quickly end the Ukraine conflict after taking office.
Trump has established a two-week timeline to determine if Putin is serious about ending the war. “We’ll know within two weeks if Putin really wants peace,” stated Trump, signaling his administration’s commitment to resolving the conflict but also his unwillingness to wait indefinitely. Despite these warnings, Trump has indicated he is not planning additional sanctions at this time, believing a deal is within reach, and has emphasized that the protracted conflict was not his responsibility.
Kremlin’s Strategic Calculation
Putin appears to be negotiating from a position of perceived strength, with Russian sources indicating he believes Russia can sustain the war effort for years despite Western sanctions. The Kremlin assessment suggests Ukraine’s military is increasingly depleted after more than three years of conflict, while Russia’s war economy has stabilized. This confidence has reportedly led Putin to toughen his stance on territorial claims, insisting on Russian control over four eastern Ukrainian regions.
“Putin has toughened his position,” according to the second source.
A Kremlin spokesperson has pushed back against Trump’s criticisms, suggesting the U.S. president is not fully informed about the situation, particularly regarding alleged Ukrainian attacks on Russian cities. The spokesperson’s comments highlight the ongoing information war surrounding the conflict, with both sides attempting to shape the narrative around who is responsible for the continued hostilities. If unable to secure a peace deal on his terms, Putin seems prepared to use military pressure to force concessions from Ukraine and its European supporters.
Ukraine’s Position and Western Dilemma
Kyiv firmly opposes any agreement that would grant Russia veto power over Ukraine’s NATO aspirations, considering this an infringement on its sovereignty. Ukrainian officials have consistently maintained that strong security guarantees from Western allies are essential to any peace settlement, particularly given Russia’s violation of previous security assurances. The Ukrainian government and many European leaders view Putin’s demands as a stalling tactic while Russian forces continue to make incremental advances in eastern Ukraine.
Western leaders now face a difficult strategic calculation: whether to pressure Ukraine to accept some of Putin’s terms for the sake of ending the bloodshed, or to maintain their principled stance against allowing Russia to dictate NATO’s membership policies. This diplomatic challenge is complicated by war fatigue among Western publics and concerns about the conflict’s economic impact. The Trump administration’s approach to these negotiations will likely define not only the future of Ukraine but also the broader security architecture of Europe for decades to come.
