Moscow [Russia], October 23: Both Russia and Ukraine continue to take a hard line on the terms of a potential peace deal, while back-and-forth attacks on the battlefield continue to escalate, making the reconciliation process "more difficult".
Deadlock in negotiations
Russia has recently sent a separate message to the United States, emphasizing its unwavering stance on the ceasefire in Ukraine, including its demand for full control of the Donbass region and its opposition to the presence of any NATO troops in Ukraine. US officials said this was a near-rejection of US President Donald Trump's view on freezing the frontline at current positions.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized Russia on the night of October 21 for its "lack of goodwill for peace" shortly after the US postponed its decision to give Tomahawk missiles to Kyiv. Ukraine and its European partners are building a new 12-point peace proposal, which excludes the possibility of territorial concessions to Russia and promotes a ceasefire along the current front lines. The plan includes the establishment of a peace council chaired by Mr. Trump to oversee the implementation of the agreement. In addition, Ukraine will receive security guarantees, post-conflict reconstruction funds and a roadmap to join the European Union (EU). A US official said the proposal would be based on Mr. Trump's 20-point proposal for peace in the Gaza Strip. European officials may visit the US this week to present this roadmap to the White House owner, according to Reuters.
For his part, President Trump expressed his belief on October 21 that both Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Zelensky want to end the conflict, and said that the war is "coming to an end." In addition to his comments on the prospects for peace, Mr. Trump also said he is still considering the possibility of meeting Mr. Putin in the near future. As for Russia, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that the two Russian and American leaders have a "common understanding," but there is no specific plan for a bilateral meeting.
The opposing stances between Russia and Ukraine make it difficult for peace talks to progress. Observers say that Mr. Trump can clearly see that meeting Mr. Putin at this time will not change anything, so he is trying to "buy time" to wait for a favorable opportunity. However, Mr. Trump still holds a "bargaining card" with Russia regarding the possibility of providing Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, according to The New York Times .
The battlefield is on fire
On the front line, Ukrainian officials on October 22 accused Russia of carrying out missile and drone attacks on the capital Kyiv and several other cities, killing at least six people, injuring 21, and causing widespread power outages.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said local air defenses intercepted most of the attacks, but fires and explosions still occurred in some residential areas and apartment buildings. A residential building in Zaporizhzhia was also damaged, injuring at least one person, according to Governor Ivan Fedorov. In the port city of Izmail in Odessa province, attacks on energy facilities left thousands of households without electricity, according to The Kyiv Independent . President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attacks, saying "another night proves that Moscow is not yet under enough pressure to end the conflict," and called on the international community to step up sanctions.
The Russian strikes came shortly after the Ukrainian military announced on the night of October 21 that its Storm Shadow long-range missiles had attacked a chemical plant in the Bryansk region (Russia), which produces gunpowder and rocket fuel. Bryansk Governor Alexander Bogomaz confirmed the incident, but no casualties or damage were reported. The Russian Defense Ministry announced that 57 UAVs were shot down in Bryansk province on the night of October 21. In addition, Russia also accused Ukrainian forces of carrying out two attacks on the Donetsk region on October 21, injuring four people, according to TASS.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper