Russian media continue to claim that the Kremlin is likely to reject a ceasefire or any version of the US-proposed peace plan because the Kremlin sees these efforts as pointless and an obstacle to Russia's goals in Ukraine and globally. This was summarized by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), reported News.bg.
A prominent Russian military blogger said on November 30 that Russian President Vladimir Putin has "clearly" indicated that he is ready to achieve Russia's military goals by military means; therefore, all peace talks since the Istanbul talks in 2022 are "impractical".
The military blogger added that Russia's participation in any peace talks is "completely" depends on Russia's progress on the battlefield, which Russian forces achieve through prolonged and costly military action.
Former Russian officer and jailed prominent ultranationalist Igor Girkin published a letter written on November 25, in which he reached a similar conclusion, that the Kremlin will not sign any agreements based on the 28-point peace proposal because the Kremlin considers this peace proposal detrimental to its goals in Ukraine and globally, and that the war in Ukraine will continue.
Girkin argued that the agreement was unacceptable because it would mean a loss of Russian sovereignty by ceding control of the negotiation mechanism and imposing penalties for violating the peace agreement to the United States.
Girkin said that the Kremlin would not engage in any mechanisms that could formally recognize Russia as an aggressor and allow the United States to impose sanctions on Russia in the event of violations of the peace agreement. agreement.
Girkin said that the peace agreement is unfavorable for Russia, as it will force it to formally renounce its claims to illegally annexed parts of Ukraine; to give up "strategically important" offensive positions in the Sumy, Kharkiv, and Dnepropetrovsk regions; to give Ukrainian forces time to rest and regroup; to significantly reduce the combat readiness of Russian forces; and to lead to a "strategic rift" between Russia and China.
The columnist for the Russian state news agency "Rossiya Segodnya" said in an interview published on November 27 that Russia does not take the US peace proposal seriously and does not expect the plan to work in any form, and assessed that the Kremlin is "calm" regarding changes to the original 28-point peace plan, because the Kremlin can discuss any document.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the US-proposed peace plan aims to guarantee the independence, sovereignty and economic development of Ukraine, during US-Ukrainian talks in Hallandale Beach, Florida, on November 30.
Rubio said that the peace plan should not only end the war, but also ensure the future and "long-term prosperity" of Ukraine.
Rubio said that the meeting between the US and Ukraine was "very productive" and expressed optimism about the progress of the peace talks, but added that there was still "much work to be done".
Rubio said the meeting was based on the results of the talks between the United States, Europe and Ukraine held on November 23 in Geneva, and confirmed that the US special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, would visit Moscow later this week to discuss the peace agreement with the Kremlin.
On November 30, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russian President Vladimir Putin would receive Witkoff in Moscow before the start of Putin's visit to India on December 4.
The situation in the direction of Pokrovsk, however, remains serious.
The Russian presence in the area south of Chervony (Krasny) Liman (northeast of Pokrovsk) and between Pokrovsk and Mirnograd will force Ukrainian forces in Mirnograd to conduct a fighting retreat to avoid encirclement in Mirnograd.
The deputy commander of a Ukrainian battalion operating in the Pokrovsk direction reported that Russian forces control at least half of Pokrovsk and that the superiority of Russian forces in numbers will make it difficult for Ukrainian forces to fully regain control of the city.
The spokesman for a Ukrainian brigade operating in the Pokrovsk direction reported that thick fog continues to impair reconnaissance capabilities by Ukrainian drones.
Ukrainian forces have successfully used a Sting interceptor drone to shoot down Russian jet-powered long-range drones for the first time, as Ukraine steps up its efforts at technological innovation to counter Russia's drone and long-range missile campaigns.
Ukrainian forces have recently advanced in the western part of Zaporizhia Oblast and near Pokrovsk.