Russia Seeks Permanent Resolution to Ongoing Ukraine Conflict

Russia says it wants to end the war in Ukraine but won't accept any Western military presence on Ukrainian soil. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claims he's reached a deal with the US for legally binding security guarantees through a Congressional vote. This comes as Russia announced it captured the strategic city of Kupiansk in northeastern Ukraine.

The Kremlin made its position clear through two key officials. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia seeks long-term peace, not short-term fixes. But Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov drew hard lines during a television interview.

"We are open to discussing possible solutions," Ryabkov said. "However, we are not prepared in any way to support or agree to or even accept any NATO forces presence on Ukrainian territory."

When asked specifically about European forces outside NATO's framework, his answer was blunt: "No, no, and again no."

Russia also won't budge on territorial claims. Ryabkov said Moscow won't make any concessions regarding the territories it controls - including Donbas, Crimea, and what Russia calls Novorossiya.

**Zelensky's Security Guarantee Claims**

On the Ukrainian side, Zelensky announced what he called a breakthrough with Washington. He said the US agreed to make security guarantees legally binding through a Congressional vote as part of any deal to end the war.

But Zelensky didn't provide details in his audio statements to Ukrainian media outlets. The claim couldn't be independently verified, and it's unclear what form these guarantees would take or when Congress might vote.

The timing is significant. President-elect Donald Trump has promised to end the Ukraine war quickly, though he hasn't explained how. Any security arrangement would need to survive potential changes in US policy.

**Battlefield Developments**

Russia claimed it captured Kupiansk, a strategic city that's changed hands multiple times during the war. Ukrainian forces had recently said they regained several neighborhoods there, making Russia's announcement particularly notable.

Kupiansk sits on key supply routes in northeastern Ukraine. Control of the city affects logistics for both sides and could influence the broader front line in that region.

The competing claims about peace talks and territorial control show how far apart the two sides remain. Russia wants to keep the land it's taken and prevent any Western military presence in Ukraine. Ukraine seeks security guarantees that would deter future Russian attacks.

These positions leave little room for compromise, despite both sides occasionally signaling openness to negotiations.