Russian President Vladimir Putin will likely reject United States President-elect Donald Trumps Ukraine peace deal unless it includes concessions to Moscow, Western-sanctioned Russian tycoon and Kremlin confidant Konstantin Malofeyevsaid in two separate interviews with the Financial Times and Bloomberg.Theres a 50-50 chance of an eventual agreement with Trump, Malofeyevtold Bloomberg on Monday, adding that one of Moscows demands would be a legally binding neutral status for Kyiv.Moscow also wants Trump to reverse Washingtons approval for Ukraine to use its missiles within Russian territory, remove Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky from office and address Russias broader security concerns in talks with Putin, Malofeyev told the Financial Times.For the talks to be constructive, we need to talk not about the future of Ukraine, but the future of Europe and the world, he was quoted as saying.As a lasting condition for peace, Moscow wants Trump to discuss wars in the Middle East, Russias alliance with China and a United States acknowledgment that Ukraine is part of the Kremlins core interests, Malofeyev said.We want a long-term peace some sort of general agreement about the global order, Malofeyev said.
Trump wants to go down in history, hell be 80 soon, hes a grandfather.
Putins not 50 anymore either.
Itll be the legacy they both leave us.Trump has pledged to put a swift end to Russias nearly three-year war in Ukraine during his presidential campaign, raising fears that he would try to force Ukraine to accept a deal on Russias terms.Putin has publicly demanded that Ukraine cede swaths of territory across its east and south as a precondition to halting the fighting.
Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday that his country needed security guarantees from NATO and more weapons to defend itself before any talks with Russia.Malofeyev, a nationalist and devout Orthodox Christian TV tycoon, said a potential peace deal would benefit Kyiv and Washington as the Russian military makes territorial gains in Ukraine.A truce right now is good for Ukraine and for the United States , but for us it brings zero benefits because were winning, Malofeyev told Bloomberg.Its important that the future United States administration understands that a truce is not a gift that Russia is waiting for, that they will start talking to us and we will give in to everything, he added.Malofeyev said assuming that the Kremlins demands would change would be a mistake that could lead to escalation and a conflict with the Trump administration.He echoed Putins nuclear threat in response to skepticism by Trumps recently nominated special envoy for the war in Ukraine, Keith Kellogg.Kellogg had expressed doubt that Putin would start a nuclear war in Europe in response to Western agreement for Ukraine to fire its weapons on Russia.
Malofeyev said Russia could fire a tactical nuclear weapon.There will be a radiation zone nobody will ever go into in our lifetime and the war will be over, he told the Financial Times.