Putin declares 660km buffer zone inside Ukraine off-limits for peace talks
Putin says Russia will keep a 660-kilometre security zone inside Ukraine and will not discuss it in future peace negotiations.
President Vladimir Putin announced a buffer zone across Sumy and Kharkiv regions stretching 660 kilometres along the border. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia now controls about 70 per cent of the planned zone.
Peskov did not say how deep it goes into Ukrainian territory. Putin made clear the zone is off-limits for negotiation.
Russia will not bargain over it in future peace talks with Kyiv. Putin said the move responds to Ukraine's 2024-25 incursion into Russia's western Kursk region.
Russian forces are still fighting to capture the remaining territory. They have not yet taken just over 10 per cent of Ukraine's Donetsk region.
- 660 kilometres
- Security zone length
- 70 per cent
- Russian territorial control
- Just over 10 per cent
- Donetsk territory uncaptured
- 16.5 per cent
- Zaporizhzhia territory uncaptured
Why it mattersA demand Russia will not negotiate locks in Moscow's hard position. It suggests Russia plans long-term occupation, not quick peace.
AustraliaAustralia is a major supporter of Ukraine and has backed sanctions on Russia; any hardening of Moscow's demands makes Australian diplomatic efforts to support a peaceful resolution more difficult.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 1 h ago
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