Putin rejects Trump's peace offer, new US President mobilizes all of Europe against Russian dictator

Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed a proposal from U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's team aimed at achieving peace in Ukraine, according to a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). The proposal included delaying Ukraine's NATO membership for at least a decade as a condition for ending the conflict.

On December 26, Putin rejected this idea, stating that the timing of Ukraine joining NATO—whether "today, tomorrow, or in 10 years"—was irrelevant. Analysts noted that this stance aligns with Putin's earlier refusal to compromise on demands he made in late 2021 and early 2022. These demands include ensuring Ukraine remains a permanently neutral state outside NATO, imposing strict limits on the size of its military, and replacing the Ukrainian government.

Despite this, Putin has expressed willingness to meet with Trump "at any time" and stated he is open to "negotiations and compromises" with Ukraine. Trump, in turn, has said that Putin is eager to meet him "as soon as possible" and emphasized the importance of ending the war.

Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul commented that Putin would only consider meaningful negotiations if Russian forces fail to capture more Ukrainian territory or, ideally, begin to lose ground—though he considers the latter scenario less likely.

Additionally, Trump has called on European countries to increase their military aid to Ukraine, as reported by *The Washington Post*. The article notes that Trump is pushing to reduce U.S. spending on Ukraine's defense while signaling a shift in responsibility to European nations, despite the U.S. being Ukraine's largest security assistance provider.