The recent meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Trump administration envoy Steve Witkoff has led the Kremlin to express a "cautiously optimistic" response towards the prospect of peace in Ukraine, as per comments by Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. This comes after Putin's acceptance of the ceasefire proposed by the United States and Ukraine, but only on terms that would amount to a victory over Ukraine. The term "root causes" mentioned by Putin refers to Russia's long-held grievances about NATO's eastward expansion, which Western officials and analysts argue is an attempt by Putin to subjugate Ukraine into his sphere of influence. Despite the cautious optimism expressed by the Kremlin, there remains skepticism among many Ukrainian and European officials who believe that Putin has not shifted from his core war goals: cementing land grabs in Ukraine and preventing it from joining NATO. This is further supported by Zelenskyy's characterization of Putin's words as "manipulative" and the subsequent drone attacks on Ukraine by Russia, highlighting that despite appearances, Putin remains committed to continuing the war against Ukraine.
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