Ukraine faces a tough 2025 with Putin's momentum and Trump presidency

Putin referred to the 2022 peace talks held between the two countries in Istanbul, where the draft agreement discussed involved the Kremlin taking control over the Crimea and Donbas region, and with Ukraine giving up plans to join NATO and reducing its military. Those talks failed, with both sides blaming the other for the collapse. “Putin placed particular emphasis on Russia being a rational actor by being willing to accept a ceasefire on its own terms and accusing the Ukrainian side of sabotaging a previous deal,” said Natia Seskuria, an associate fellow at a London-based think tank, RUSI.