As the war in Ukraine grinds on into its fourth year, the search for a meaningful peace remains elusive, with key players locked in a complex web of negotiations, accusations, and shifting alliances. Over the past week, world leaders and analysts have weighed in on the prospects for ending the conflict, but the path forward seems as fraught as ever—and the stakes, if anything, have only grown higher.
On September 18, 2025, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer met with US President Donald Trump to discuss how to pressure Russia into a peace agreement with Ukraine. At a joint press conference, Starmer did not mince words, saying, "Recent massive strikes by Russian President Vladimir Putin on Ukraine are not actions of someone seeking peace." According to reporting by RBC Ukraine, Starmer emphasized the need to "build our defenses further, support Ukraine, and decisively increase the pressure on Putin to get him to agree a peace deal that will last." He also praised Trump for showing leadership on the issue, declaring that Britain and the United States would "continue to stand together for the sake of security and peace."
Yet, while Western leaders talk of unity and resolve, the reality on the ground is anything but stable. In the days following a high-profile peace summit in Anchorage—where, as Newsweek notes, President Trump gave Putin "red carpet treatment"—the Russian president responded not with concessions, but with one of the worst barrages of missiles since the war began. Ukrainian cities have endured double the number of missile strikes compared to previous years, with civilian casualties mounting alarmingly. On the night of September 7, Russian forces even targeted the building of Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers, a brazen escalation that underscored the Kremlin's continued willingness to use overwhelming force.
Putin's actions, observers say, are not those of a leader interested in peace. The Kremlin has refused to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, despite Zelenskyy's repeated expressions of readiness for negotiations. Instead, the Russian leader has demanded that Ukraine cede territory and has intensified both missile and drone strikes. Just days ago, Russian drones violated Polish airspace, prompting a swift reaction from NATO—a stark reminder that the conflict's ripple effects extend far beyond Ukraine's borders.
Meanwhile, the diplomatic front is just as contentious. On September 19, Alexey Chepa, deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs, told Lenta.ru that progress toward resolving the conflict could soon resume, but he blamed Kiev's commitment to continuing the war for stalling negotiations. Chepa pointed to the so-called Istanbul negotiation line, which he said was intended to lay the groundwork for a future peace agreement. However, he accused Ukraine of "categorically" refusing to accept agreements reached in Anchorage, further delaying any resolution. In a closed session of Ukraine's parliament, Zelenskyy reportedly stated that Ukraine would need to find "another 60 billion" to continue the fight—a signal, according to Chepa, that Kyiv is preparing for a long war rather than a swift peace.
The flow of Western weapons to Ukraine—especially from the United States—remains a sticking point for Russian officials, who argue it only hinders the negotiation process. "They are trying to deliver weapons, including American ones, through Europe anyway. All this does not help the negotiation process," Chepa said.
Political scientist Dmitry Zhuravlev, also speaking to Lenta.ru, cast doubt on the likelihood of direct NATO involvement in the conflict. He argued that internal contradictions within the alliance, along with limited human resources, make large-scale intervention improbable. "If we talk about Germany and France, for example, they would send a few brigades that they have to Western Ukraine to support Ukrainian soldiers, and that would be all. If Russia has the strength, it will calmly continue its offensive and there will be no war with NATO. But this really requires iron strength," Zhuravlev noted. He added, "NATO is very willing to pay for war; they are ready to express their dissatisfaction, but not to sacrifice their own people."
Former Polish Prime Minister Leszek Miller has also weighed in, warning that Zelenskyy "wants to provoke a military conflict between the North Atlantic Alliance and Russia" and urging Warsaw to avoid getting drawn in. The specter of a wider war, possibly even involving nuclear powers, remains a chilling possibility, though Zhuravlev downplayed the likelihood: "Of course, a nuclear war with the participation of Russia, France and the United Kingdom is possible, but we have much more missiles. So there is no one to fight."
Russia, for its part, has accused the European Union of exacerbating the situation. Grigory Karasin, chairman of the Federation Council's Foreign Affairs Committee, told Lenta.ru that the EU is "not just hindering the peaceful resolution of the Ukrainian conflict, but is exacerbating the situation." Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov echoed this sentiment at an embassy roundtable, accusing EU nations of "trying, quite brazenly, to reclaim a place at the negotiating table" despite their "openly hostile stance toward Russia." According to RT, Lavrov argued that both the EU and Kyiv are seeking to convince President Trump to abandon his peace push and return to confrontation with Russia—"essentially, to turn Biden’s war into Trump’s war."
For many Ukrainians, the notion of peace at any price is unacceptable. As Newsweek highlights, Ukraine’s civil society demands accountability and rejects territorial concessions, citing ongoing atrocities such as forced disappearances, deportations, unlawful detentions, and the kidnapping of children in Russian-occupied areas. The article recounts the story of a child in occupied Ukraine forced to sing the Russian anthem, who defiantly sang the Ukrainian anthem instead—a small act of resistance emblematic of the population's determination to maintain their identity and dignity.
Human rights advocates argue that negotiations can only be meaningful if they are rooted in justice, not appeasement. Oleksandra Matviichuk, a Kyiv-based human rights lawyer, insists that "peace must be rooted in justice, not appeasement—and should not reward a war criminal for his aggression." The failures of past agreements, such as the Budapest Memorandum and Minsk II accords, serve as cautionary tales. Ukrainian civil society leaders have developed the Ukraine Peace Compact, a blueprint for community-led justice, recovery, and governance, and have called for their voices to be included in any formal negotiations.
As the international community debates the best way forward, the Ukrainian people continue to bear the brunt of the violence. With over 183,000 alleged war crimes documented since 2022, according to Newsweek, the human cost of the conflict is staggering. The call from Kyiv is clear: Any peace must ensure Ukraine’s territorial integrity, provide real security guarantees, and deliver justice for victims. Anything less, many fear, would simply set the stage for future aggression and undermine the very principles of sovereignty and human rights that the world claims to defend.
The road to peace in Ukraine is long and perilous, with no easy answers. But as leaders continue to meet and debate, the world is watching closely—hoping that, at last, the violence will give way to a just and lasting peace.