US push for Russia-Ukraine deal risks fresh escalation, Telegraph

Efforts by the United States to accelerate a deal between Russia and Ukraine could inadvertently create conditions for a new escalation of the war, analysis published by The Telegraph said.

The newspaper reported that US President Donald Trump has sent his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, to Abu Dhabi for a new round of talks, with the stated aim of securing “any agreement” between Moscow and Kyiv.

According to The Telegraph, discussions are focused on territorial issues, particularly the status of parts of Ukraine’s Donetsk region that Russian forces have failed to fully capture despite nearly four years of full-scale war.

The paper said Russian leader Vladimir Putin is seeking at the negotiating table what he has been unable to achieve on the battlefield.

“But even that may not be enough for Putin,” the article argued. “He is not only trying to hold on to what he currently controls, but to gain even more.”

Experts cited by the newspaper warn that conceding these territories to Russia could lay the groundwork for a renewed military campaign. Areas of Donetsk are described as strategically important due to strong defensive infrastructure around Kramatorsk and Sloviansk.

Handing over these positions, analysts say, could allow the Kremlin to consolidate its forces and prepare for a new invasion at a later stage.

The analysis suggested that Trump and Witkoff may be underestimating Moscow’s long-term objectives. If Ukraine agrees to territorial concessions, Russia could use the pause to regroup and prepare for the next phase of the war.

The alternative, according to analysts, would be sustained pressure on the Kremlin, including continued weapons supplies to Ukraine and economic sanctions, aimed at curbing Moscow’s ambitions and preventing a renewed offensive.