{Russia Ready for War with Europe, Putin Says Before Ukraine Peace Talks}

Here’s a summary of the key points from the provided text, focusing on the state of peace talks regarding⁤ the Ukraine war as of​ December ‍2025:

* Talks in Moscow: ‍ U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met ‍with Vladimir ‍Putin ⁢in Moscow to discuss a potential peace​ agreement. Both sides⁢ discussed a 27-point plan, with the U.S. providing additional documents (details of which are being kept⁢ confidential).
* Major Disagreements: Russia and Ukraine remain⁣ far apart on key issues. Russia demands that Ukraine cede partially-occupied territory, and there’s disagreement over security ⁤guarantees for Ukraine.
*​ Putin’s Stance: Putin stated Russia isn’t seeking war‍ with Europe but is “ready” if provoked. He⁢ also dismissed European peace proposals as “absolutely unacceptable.”
* European Concerns: European officials are concerned ‍about being excluded from initial talks and fear that Donald Trump might ‌favor Russia’s proposals to end the war ​quickly.
* Zelenskyy’s ​Optimism: Despite the difficulties,Zelenskyy ⁣expressed optimism,stating ⁤Ukraine is “closer to peace than⁢ ever ⁢before.”
* Kremlin’s Position: The kremlin⁤ hasn’t rejected the U.S. proposals​ outright, but some points were deemed “unacceptable.”‌ They are engaging in a “normal working process of finding a compromise.”
* Russia’s Strategy: Experts believe the Kremlin ⁤is deliberately prolonging the peace process, believing⁢ it has⁣ the upper hand on the battlefield and can secure‍ favorable concessions from Ukraine over time.
* Pessimistic Outlook: There’s a ‍general sense that the ​conflict will continue for the foreseeable future.

In essence, the talks represent a fragile attempt at negotiation, but​ meaningful obstacles remain,‍ and the outlook for a swift resolution is‍ bleak.