Russia declares 'Trump's peace deal is dead' as Kremlin threatens to seize all of Ukraine

 

A senior Russian official has released a provocative map depicting nearly all of Ukraine under Russian control, underscoring escalating tensions as Moscow dismisses Western ceasefire initiatives. The Russian media has declared Donald Trump's proposed peace deal as "dying a slow death," with Kremlin allies openly ridiculing Western diplomatic efforts.

In a recent editorial, the Moscow-based newspaper Moskovskij Komsomolets reflected on the state of ceasefire negotiations, suggesting that President Trump's influence is rapidly waning. The piece claimed that Trump’s "energy charge" has "gone flat" and predicted it would soon become evident, even to him, that the deal is in its "final death throes."

BBC Russia Editor Steve Rosenberg highlighted the editorial in his coverage of Russian media narratives. He reported that the newspaper acknowledged Trump's role in initially bringing Moscow and Kyiv to the negotiating table, but now believes that his plan is collapsing. The editorial stated: “What happens when this death becomes so apparent that even the chronically optimistic U.S. President can no longer deny it remains to be seen.”

While the paper emphasized that Moscow does not want to "lose Trump," it insisted that preserving relations with him is secondary to achieving “victory in Ukraine.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has already agreed to a 30-day ceasefire with Russia. However, President Vladimir Putin has shown reluctance to participate personally in negotiations, opting instead to send lower-level officials to recent talks in Turkey.

In response to international diplomatic efforts, a coalition of about 30 nations — including the UK, France, and other allies — has proposed a buffer zone in Ukraine, possibly enforced by British and other Western forces.

But former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, a key Putin ally and current Deputy Chair of Russia’s Security Council, openly mocked these plans. On the social media platform X, Medvedev posted a map of Ukraine showing nearly the entire country designated as a Russian-controlled buffer zone, leaving only a narrow strip of land near the Polish border for Ukraine. He wrote, “If military aid to the Banderite (Ukrainian nationalist) regime continues, the buffer zone could look like this.”

Meanwhile, Russia continues its deadly campaign of drone and missile attacks across Ukraine, resulting in significant civilian casualties.

Speaking in New Jersey over the weekend, former President Trump criticized Putin’s aggression, stating, “I’ve known him a long time, always gotten along with him, but he’s sending rockets into cities and killing people, and I don’t like it at all.” On his Truth Social platform, Trump added that Putin had “gone absolutely crazy,” reiterating his long-standing claim that the Russian leader intends to seize all of Ukraine — not just parts of it. “If he does,” Trump warned, “it will lead to the downfall of Russia.”

As Russia presses on with its military offensive, the U.S., UK, and European allies are preparing a new round of sanctions. However, the current U.S. administration has signaled it will either continue to pursue diplomatic efforts or withdraw from negotiations if the Kremlin shows no progress.

Responding to Trump’s comments, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the former president's remarks reflected the “emotional overload” of those involved in the conflict. He maintained that Putin’s decisions are aimed at ensuring the “security of Russia.”