Russia no longer willing to return occupied territories to Ukraine: Bloomberg

Russia has reportedly abandoned any willingness to return some occupied territories to Ukraine as part of a potential peace agreement, according to sources close to the Kremlin cited by Bloomberg. President Vladimir Putin is said to have given up on territorial concessions, interpreting increasingly negative rhetoric from the United States as a sign that an informal understanding reached at an Alaska summit has collapsed.

“

Russia is no longer willing to return some occupied territories to Ukraine as part of a peace deal

Sources indicate that Russia intends to retain control over areas near its border in the Sumy and Kharkiv regions, designating them as buffer zones. The primary objective for Russia appears to be the complete capture of Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region. This shift in stance contrasts with earlier reports in the fall of 2025 suggesting Russia might cede some territories in exchange for control over the entire Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

“

President Vladimir Putin has abandoned territorial concessions

Bloomberg's sources suggest that Russia is prepared to re-enter negotiations only after Putin achieves full control of the Donetsk region. While the Russian Ministry of Defense leadership assures the president that this goal is achievable by year-end, many Russian generals reportedly view this timeline as unrealistic, estimating that full control of Donetsk may not be achieved until 2027. The focus on Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, the last significant Ukrainian-held areas in Donetsk, supports the assessment that this region is Russia's main objective.

“

Russia intends to keep the areas near the Russian border from Sumy and Kharkiv as buffer zones

The Kremlin is reportedly frustrated by Ukraine's recent successful deep strikes into Russian territory and dissatisfied with the U.S. administration's support for new sanctions legislation against Russia. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the Bloomberg report as speculation.

“

Russia is ready to return to negotiations only after Putin has taken full control of the Donetsk region