• Putin demands a written pledge from the West to halt NATO's eastward expansion as a condition for peace.
• Russia seeks Ukraine's permanent neutrality and easing of sanctions among other demands.
• The war continues to escalate with both sides suffering heavy casualties and economic strain.
• Trump expresses frustration over Putin's refusal to negotiate while making military advances.
• Kyiv remains firm on its NATO aspirations despite Russian aggression.

Russian President Vladimir Putin's key conditions for ending the ongoing war in Ukraine include a demand for a written pledge from Western leaders to stop the eastward expansion of NATO, which would effectively block Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova from joining the military alliance. Additionally, the Kremlin is advocating for Ukraine's permanent neutrality, a partial lifting of sanctions, protection for Russian-speaking populations in Ukraine, and a solution regarding frozen Russian sovereign assets abroad. "Putin is ready to make peace but not at any price," said a senior Russian source, highlighting the stringent nature of these demands, according to Reuters, HuffPost, and India Times.

Following a recent two-hour conversation between Putin and former U.S. President Donald Trump, there seems to be a cautious opening for peace talks as Putin indicated willingness to work on a memorandum defining the parameters for a ceasefire. However, sources underscore that the Kremlin may be stalling negotiations to create leverage through military gains, thus presenting a more formidable position if a peace deal is not reached under Putin's terms. Reports suggest that he might wish to demonstrate that "peace tomorrow will be even more painful," should talks fail, as indicated by multiple Russian insiders, according to Reuters, HuffPost, and India Times.

As military activities intensify, the Ukrainian government and various European capitals have accused Russia of delaying negotiations while continuing its offensive in eastern Ukraine, where Russia currently controls almost one-fifth of the territory, including all of Luhansk, major portions of Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson, along with Crimea, annexed in 2014. The Ukrainian administration, led by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, remains adamant that it should not be coerced into abandoning its NATO aspirations or ceding territory due to the ongoing conflict, according to Reuters, HuffPost, and India Times.

Putin's stance appears to have hardened regarding territorial claims, as he now insists on complete control over the contested eastern regions of Ukraine. As economic strains mount on the Kremlin, researchers suggest that regardless of sanctions and external pressures, Russian leadership believes it can sustain the war for an extended period. Trump has expressed growing anxiety over Putin's military strategy, emphasizing the potential dire consequences of continued aggression, reflecting mixed signals regarding the likelihood of an approaching diplomatic end to the conflict, according to Reuters, HuffPost, and India Times.