Putin’s hard-line view of the war was evident at a patriotic expo in snowy Moscow last week, organized by a major military history organization that is chaired by Medinsky and featured stands with photos of Russian soldiers who died fighting in Ukraine.
“I believe we must not compromise,” Natalya Belyaeva told NBC News when asked if Russia should ease its demands to reach a peace deal. Her son Dmitry, a senior lieutenant in the Russian military, was killed in Ukraine’s eastern Kharkiv region in fall 2022 while commanding an anti-aircraft missile platoon. He was posthumously granted the Hero of the Russian Federation award by Putin.
“Our guys didn’t shed blood for us to give up or concede something. We must fight to the end,” Belyaeva, 53, said, adding that she expects nothing short of “capitulation” from Ukraine.
Kyiv is also facing immense pressure from Trump to reach a deal.
“Ukraine better come to the table fast,” Trump said ahead of the latest round of talks in Geneva last week.
Initially presented with a U.S. proposal heavily favoring Russia, Ukraine and its European backers have negotiated a more favorable framework. Zelenskyy has since accused Washington of focusing too much on the need for Ukrainian concessions to end the war.
The former comedian, long since transformed into a wartime talisman globally, is also battling to keep hold of domestic favor.