Moscow Talks: No Compromise on Occupied Territories – L’Express

The intense diplomatic discussions held for several days have still not made it possible to find a compromise on the question which could resolve or definitively bog down the conflict in Ukraine: that of the future of the territories occupied by Russia, which represent 19% of the country. American Secretary of State Marco Rubio nevertheless welcomes “progress”, while the Kremlin welcomed “a constructive discussion” after a meeting in Moscow between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump’s emissary, Steve Witkoff. Is this really a good sign for Ukraine? Meanwhile, Emmanuel Macron will travel to Beijing on December 3, and will make negotiations for peace in Ukraine one of the priorities of his requests to China.

Information to remember:

⇒ “No compromise” found during the meeting between Vladimir Putin and Steve Witkoff

⇒ Agreement within the EU to ban Russian gas in the fall of 2027

⇒ Ukraine on the menu of Emmanuel Macron’s visit to China

Occupied territories continue to blockade

“No compromise” was found Tuesday on the thorny issue of the Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia following the meeting in Moscow between Vladimir Putin and the American envoy Steve Witkoff, who came to present Washington’s plan to end nearly four years of war. The two men discussed for almost five hours in the Kremlin the project recently adjusted after consultations with kyiv.

On the question of the territories occupied by Russia in Ukraine, which represent approximately 19% of the country, “no compromise solution has yet been chosen”, even if “certain American proposals can be discussed”, specified the Kremlin’s diplomatic advisor, Yuri Ushakov. However, he welcomed a constructive discussion and the desire of both parties to continue their efforts.

Washington reports “some progress” in discussions

The head of American diplomacy Marco Rubio reported “some progress” in negotiations with Russia to try to find an agreement ending the war in Ukraine, during an interview broadcast on Tuesday. “What we’ve tried to do, and I think we’ve made some progress, is to figure out what might work for the Ukrainians and give them security guarantees for the future,” he said on Fox News.

After their meeting with the Russians in Moscow, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner could meet a delegation from kyiv in Europe on Wednesday, according to a Ukrainian source at AFP.

Agreement within the EU to ban Russian gas in autumn 2027

An agreement has been reached between MEPs and European states to ban all imports of Russian gas into the EU in the fall of 2027, they indicated on the night of Tuesday to Wednesday. It is a compromise between the European Parliament, which wanted a faster ban, and the member states who wanted to take a little more time.

For gas pipelines, the ban on long-term contracts, the most sensitive because they sometimes run for decades, will come into force on September 30, 2027, provided that stocks are sufficient, and will apply no later than November 1, 2027. For liquefied natural gas, LNG, the ban on long contracts will apply from January 1, 2027, in accordance with the announcements of the president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen to sanction Russia. For short contracts, the ban will apply from April 25, 2026 for liquefied natural gas and from June 17, 2026 for gas transported by pipeline.

The European executive opted for a legislative proposal rather than sanctions, because it can be adopted by a qualified majority of member states. The aim is to avoid a veto from Hungary and Slovakia, considered close to Moscow and firmly opposed to these measures.

Ukraine on the menu of Emmanuel Macron’s visit to China

The French President begins his fourth state visit to China this Wednesday in order to defend French and European interests. A priority subject, Ukraine will be discussed, and by extension the security of the Old Continent, while discussions intensify to try to put an end to hostilities with Russia. Emmanuel Macron will once again call on Xi Jinping to “weigh” on Russia, China’s strategic partner, to “convince” it to accept a ceasefire. Although it regularly calls for peace talks, China has never condemned Moscow for the invasion of Ukraine and claims neutrality in this matter.