Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced on December 29 that following a phone call last weekend between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump, the two leaders expect to continue their discussions soon.

Peskov declined to comment on Ukraine's idea of establishing a free economic zone in Donbass or on the future of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which Russia currently controls. He stated the Kremlin "considers such scenarios inappropriate."

Devastated landscape in Kostyantynivka, Donbass on 17/12. AFP.

When asked about Kremlin advisor Yuri Ushakov's statement regarding the decision Ukraine needs to make concerning Donbass, Peskov said Ukraine should withdraw its troops from the region if it desires peace.

"We are talking about Ukraine withdrawing all armed forces from the Donbass region," Peskov said. "If no agreement is reached, they will lose more territory."

The Kremlin spokesman declined to comment on whether this demand applies to the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions as well. However, observers suggest Russia's message is clear: Moscow views the "final stage" of peace not as territorial concessions, but as the formalization of its military gains.

According to Peskov, Russia has no information on the outcome of the US-Ukraine leader talks, but agreed with President Trump's statement that peace "is very close." However, he ruled out the possibility of a phone call between President Putin and President Zelensky.

Russia estimates it controls one-fifth of Ukraine's territory, including the Crimea peninsula annexed in 2014, about 90% of the Donbass region, 75% of the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, and small parts of the Kharkiv, Sumy, Mykolaiv, and Dnipropetrovsk regions. Russia considers Donbass, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson as part of its territory.

Areas controlled by Russia and Ukraine on the battlefield. ISW.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky previously discussed with his counterpart Donald Trump, stating an agreement was reached on security guarantees for Kyiv. However, both leaders acknowledged no consensus was reached on the future of the Donbass region.

The Ukrainian military controls part of the territory in Donetsk, one of the two provinces forming the Donbass region, while Russia seeks to increase its offensive to capture the entire region. In a recently published 20-point peace proposal, Kyiv suggested withdrawing troops from Donetsk, but also demanded Moscow take similar action to create a demilitarized zone there.

Ngoc Anh (According to Reuters, AP)