Putin blocks 90% complete peace deal, officials say

Tuesday 13 January 2026 - 08:50

By: Dakir Madiha

Putin blocks 90% complete peace deal, officials say

As Russia's invasion of Ukraine surpasses the duration of the Soviet fight against Nazi Germany in World War II, diplomatic efforts to end the conflict face a deadlock. European, American, and Ukrainian officials state a peace agreement stands 90% complete after talks in Florida and Paris, yet President Vladimir Putin appears intent on halting remaining progress. The impasse follows Putin's claim of a Ukrainian drone attack on his Valdai residence late December, swiftly debunked by U.S. intelligence, prompting a Russian hypersonic missile strike on Ukraine's western Lviv region that signals rejection of current peace terms without direct confrontation with President Donald Trump.

Kremlin officials alleged on December 29 that Ukrainian drones targeted Putin's private residence near Valdai in northwest Russia. Putin relayed this to Trump in a phone call, initially sparking U.S. presidential anger toward Ukraine. "I don't like that. It's not good," Trump told reporters at the time. The narrative collapsed quickly, with CIA Director John Ratcliffe informing Trump of an assessment finding no such attack occurred. Ukraine denied involvement, and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov offered no evidence, urging media to take Moscow's word.

Trump reversed course, sharing a New York Post editorial labeling Russia as the peace blocker. Reports indicate Trump grows increasingly exasperated with Putin, viewing him as a bigger obstacle than Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Russia countered diplomatic pressure with force, launching an intermediate-range ballistic Orechnik missile—its second known combat use, capable of nuclear warheads—against Lviv Oblast overnight January 8-9. Russia's Defense Ministry claimed it hit the state aircraft repair plant servicing Ukrainian MiG-29s and Western-supplied F-16s. Ukrainian officials confirmed the strike but withheld target details, while the Institute for the Study of War called it part of Moscow's reflexive control campaign to deter Western aid.

Negotiators have made substantial headway despite setbacks. Zelensky stated in his New Year address that 90% of a peace plan is agreed, though Ukraine seeks no deal at any cost. Chief negotiator Rustem Umerov confirmed most positions settled, with details pending. Key sticking points involve territorial concessions in eastern Donbass and control of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant. Russia demands Ukraine cede all of Donbass, where Moscow holds about 75% of Donetsk and nearly 99% of Luhansk.

Trump advisors Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev in Paris on January 7 to present the U.S. proposal. Analysts note Dmitriev excels in business deals but lacks sway in Putin's decision-making. Zelensky and Trump plan to meet at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, from January 19-23, potentially finalizing an $800 billion reconstruction deal and security guarantees. Still, observers highlight Russia as 2026's chief peace barrier, showing little interest in ending the fighting.