Putin wants more land. Otherwise "I will destroy all your infrastructure"

Talks on the war in Ukraine are scheduled to begin next week in Abu Dhabi. However, the daily's interlocutors estimate that a quick truce is unlikely to be reached.

According to these sources, the Kremlin wants to take advantage of the Trump administration's desire to end the conflict as quickly as possible. Putin's demands may consequently affect not only Ukraine, but also the whole of Europe.

According to this account, Kiev's handing over of Donbas is to be a preliminary condition for negotiations, and the Kremlin de facto expects further territorial concessions as part of a broad agreement. This is also to include security guarantees for the North Atlantic Alliance.

European politicians are said to be opposed to combining negotiations on Ukraine with the debate on a new security arrangement on the continent. They fear that Moscow could seek to rebuild its sphere of influence and limit the sovereignty of NATO's eastern flank countries.

One European official, quoted by the Financial Times, emphasized that parallel talks on European security should not take place before the end of Russia's war against Ukraine.

Threat of destruction

FT sources suggest that the upcoming talks in Abu Dhabi will not bring a breakthrough, which was confirmed by earlier statements by Putin's adviser, Yuri Ushakov.

At the same time, Russia will try to gain an advantage in the war by ruining Ukrainian infrastructure.

I will destroy all your infrastructure until you agree, one source said, paraphrasing Putin. By next year, Ukraine will have no infrastructure. All bridges, ports, railway lines, energy infrastructure, power plants... will be destroyed - the FT quotes.

Jared Kushner, Donald Trump's son-in-law, previously announced "productive and substantive" US talks with Ukraine, NATO and European partners. They were to concern the security of Ukraine and the future security architecture in Europe.

Donald Trump himself signaled on Thursday after his meeting with Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev that an agreement is close and that it may have a much broader scope than just ending Russian aggression against Ukraine.

"It will be a great, beautiful agreement and everyone will be delighted," said the American president.

He added that to achieve it, extensive involvement of European countries will be needed.