Russian President Vladimir Putin entered Saturday’s Kremlin negotiations with US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner determined to capture additional Ukrainian territory, confident that Russian forces can seize the entirety of the Donbas by the end of 2026. “There is zero chance of reaching an agreement on the frontlin until Putin completes the capture of the rest of the Donetsk region,” a source close to the Kremlin told Reuters, noting that Putin’s confidence stems from optimistic battlefield reports submitted by his commanders.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. Western military analysts, however, view such an objective as highly improbable given the protracted and grinding pace of Russian advances. Kyiv has repeatedly and categorically rejected territorial concessions, dismissing demands to surrender the Donbas as equivalent to capitulation. Bloomberg reported that the envoys’ latest visit yielded no indications of Moscow softening its core war objectives in Ukraine. Sources close to the Russian leadership indicated that Putin remains willing to end the war only on Russia’s terms, with the Kremlin hardening its demands amid a belief that it holds a decisive military advantage. The sequence and timing of the diplomatic initiative also provoked scrutiny among Western officials and analysts. EU Ambassador to the US Jovita Neliupšienė questioned the envoys’ decision to visit Moscow before holding consultations in Kyiv.