On Friday, September 12, 2025, the Kremlin officially declared that negotiations between Russia and Ukraine are effectively on hold, a move that casts a long shadow over the ongoing war now entering its fourth year. This announcement comes despite high-profile diplomatic efforts, including a much-publicized summit in Alaska earlier in August, where U.S. President Donald Trump attempted to broker peace by hosting Russian President Vladimir Putin. Yet, as events continue to unfold, it seems that the gap between Moscow and Kyiv is only widening, with little hope for a swift resolution in sight.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov delivered the sobering news to reporters, clarifying the current state of the talks. "Our negotiators can still communicate, but for now it is probably more accurate to describe the situation as a pause," Peskov explained, according to CNN. "You cannot expect instant results from such a process if you look at it through rose-tinted glasses." Peskov further emphasized that while communication channels remain open, the negotiations should not be expected to yield quick results, and any real progress would require significant time and consistency.
This pause comes after a series of diplomatic overtures led by President Trump, who has made accelerating peace efforts a key foreign policy priority. The Alaska summit on August 15, 2025, was intended as a turning point, but Moscow’s subsequent actions have told a different story. According to BBC, despite these efforts, Russia has pressed on with its military campaign, launching devastating airstrikes across Ukraine and notably carrying out its largest aerial assault of the war just last week. The attack killed multiple civilians and set ablaze a government building in central Kyiv, underscoring the persistent volatility on the ground.
For many in Kyiv, the Kremlin’s declaration is hardly surprising. Ukrainian officials have long accused Russia of using the negotiation process as a smokescreen to buy time, shore up its economy, and continue its military operations. President Volodymyr Zelensky has been vocal about the need for tangible progress. As reported by CNN, Zelensky insisted, "The only possible cooperation must move from words to concrete steps," expressing gratitude to the United Kingdom for a new package of sanctions targeting shadow networks of the Russian oil fleet and related supply routes. Japan has also joined these efforts, introducing new restrictions against Russian companies in a bid to weaken the Kremlin’s financial flows. "This is the only way to stop Russia and end this war," Zelensky asserted.
The diplomatic stalemate is further complicated by the irreconcilable demands on both sides. Moscow continues to insist on Ukraine surrendering the eastern Donbas region, parts of which remain under Russian control. Kyiv, for its part, has flatly refused any territorial concessions, holding firm on the principle of sovereignty and pushing for the deployment of European peacekeeping forces—a proposal Russia has branded as unacceptable. According to the Associated Press, three previous rounds of direct talks held in Istanbul yielded little progress beyond large prisoner exchanges, highlighting the deep-rooted mistrust and intractable positions that have defined the conflict.
Adding to the tension, the Kremlin has categorically rejected any notion of a direct meeting between President Putin and President Zelensky, even as Ukrainian officials argue that only a face-to-face summit can break the deadlock. Meanwhile, Russia has dismissed Western and Kyiv-backed proposals for a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine, especially those conditioned on a ceasefire and the placement of foreign troops on Ukrainian soil. Russian officials have also pointed to recent joint military exercises with Belarus—codenamed "West-2025"—as a demonstration of defensive preparedness, while Western observers remain deeply concerned about the potential for further escalation.
The past week has seen a marked increase in military activity, further complicating the diplomatic landscape. NATO scrambled fighters in response to several incidents of Russian drones violating Polish airspace, a move that signals rising tensions not only within Ukraine but across the broader region. According to Suspilne, Ukraine endured yet another massive bombardment of Kyiv and missile strikes on civilian infrastructure, events that continue to take a heavy toll on the population and reinforce the sense of urgency among Ukraine’s Western allies.
Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian president’s office, summed up the prevailing sentiment in Kyiv: "Putin understands only force and has no intention of stopping this war… Pressure on Russia must continue." This perspective is echoed by many in the international community, who argue that only sustained economic and military pressure can bring Moscow to the negotiating table in good faith. The United States has echoed this stance, with the Biden administration acknowledging that efforts toward a mediation agreement and direct dialogue have so far failed to produce substantive results. Instead, Washington has called for intensified coordination with European allies and continued sanctions against Moscow.
In Moscow, however, the narrative is markedly different. Kremlin officials accuse Europe of hindering the peace process and frame Western concerns as part of an aggressive stance that only serves to escalate the conflict. Peskov defended Russia’s joint military exercises with Belarus and dismissed Western proposals for peacekeeping missions as unacceptable, reinforcing the Kremlin’s determination to keep pressure on Kyiv and its international supporters.
For analysts and observers, the current state of affairs points to a grim reality: with the core issues—territorial integrity, security guarantees, and the presence of foreign troops—still unresolved, the war is likely to grind on. Diplomacy, it seems, has become little more than a backdrop to the ongoing fighting, with both sides preparing for a protracted struggle. As noted by BBC, "negotiations remain a formal instrument with slow progress, while military tension and economic measures continue to leave deep consequences for the region and the global economy."
On the ground, the human cost of the conflict continues to mount. Civilians in cities like Kyiv and Kherson face the daily threat of airstrikes and drone attacks, as reported by Suspilne Kherson. Meanwhile, Ukrainians and their allies abroad have taken to the streets in protest, marching with giant Ukrainian flags as a symbol of resistance against Russian aggression.
While some may have hoped that the Alaska summit would mark a turning point, the reality is that peace remains elusive. The diplomatic pause announced by the Kremlin on September 12, 2025, serves as a stark reminder that, for now, the path forward is fraught with uncertainty, and the prospect of a swift resolution is as distant as ever.