Russia insists on Ukraine's unconditional surrender and has set its sights on Dnipropetrovsk, according to ISW.

Russia has expressed its unwillingness to freeze the front line or make compromises. This indicates the Kremlin's readiness for an escalation of the war in Ukraine. Russia may be planning a new offensive to fully capture the Donetsk region and approach the borders of Dnipropetrovsk.

This is stated in a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). Analysts remind us that the Director of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, Sergey Naryshkin, noted that the Kremlin is reportedly ready for negotiations, but has categorically rejected any "freezing" of the front line or the establishment of demilitarized zones. According to him, the only way to achieve peace is by "removing" the reasons that "forced" Russia to launch a full-scale invasion.

"Such rhetoric indicates that Moscow continues to insist on Ukraine's uncompromising capitulation. The Kremlin has also repeatedly demanded control over all territories of the four illegally annexed regions, including those currently under Ukrainian control," the report states.

According to ISW's analytical forecasts, the Russian command may be planning a new offensive in the southeastern part of the Dnipropetrovsk region. This area is not part of the illegally annexed territories, but its capture could support Russia's long-standing goal of complete occupation of the Donetsk region.

Ukraine and Russia Negotiations: Positions of the Parties

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasizes the importance of ensuring a strong position for Ukraine in any future negotiations. He states that strengthening both military and diplomatic positions in Kyiv will be the basis for achieving a just peace. If Ukraine is weak on the battlefield, it will not be able to secure favorable conditions for peace negotiations.

In Russia, they claim that President Vladimir Putin excludes any serious territorial concessions and insists that Kyiv abandon its aspirations to join NATO. In Russia, it is believed that there may be an opportunity for negotiations regarding the precise distribution of the four regions - Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson.

Russian officials state that while Russia will not tolerate Ukraine's accession to NATO or the presence of NATO troops on Ukrainian soil, Moscow is open to discussing security guarantees for Kyiv. The Kremlin will also want Ukraine to limit the size of its armed forces and commit to not restricting the use of the Russian language.

Meanwhile, Russia’s ambassador to the UN, Gennady Gatilov, confirms that Russia is "open to peace negotiations" regarding the war in Ukraine. Moscow considers it essential to have conditions for starting negotiations involving Trump. According to Gatilov, only after this can further steps be discussed.

In this context, there is also information that supporters of Donald Trump want to buy "Nord Stream 2". This could assist in negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.