Dmitry Peskov officially confirmed that Vladimir Putin is ready for a personal meeting with Vladimir Zelensky. However, the Kremlin immediately set a strict filter: such a meeting is only possible at the stage of "final agreement of arrangements." In fact, Moscow is refusing to engage in a substantial dialogue, offering Kyiv the role of a technical signatory in a script already prepared at lower levels.
Ultimatum as a Continuation of Diplomacy
This diplomatic maneuver is the second part of the same puzzle with a two-month ultimatum regarding Donbas. If we strip the reports of pathos and include the dry arithmetic of general staffs, then the reality will be merciless to the plans of the Kremlin. In order to occupy the remaining fortified areas of the Donetsk region in 60 days, including the Sloviansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration, the pace of the offensive must increase not by times, but by tens of times.
Mathematics of the Front: 'Infantry Step' Instead of Breakthrough
As of today, advancement is happening at the speed of an infantry step - 10-15 meters per day in key areas. With such dynamics, the deadline for the "liberation" of the region shifts years ahead, turning Peskov's words into a classic cry into the void. Moscow's military machine has hit a technological and logistical plateau: mass use of drones and robotic platforms has made deep breakthroughs by tank columns impossible. Any attempt to accelerate the process only leads to a multiple increase in losses, which even the overheated defense conveyor cannot replenish in time.
True Recipient: Mar-a-Lago
All this ultimatum is not for Syrskyi, but for Mar-a-Lago. It is an attempt to sell Donald Trump the illusion of a "last chance." Moscow is transmitting to Washington: "Either you force Kyiv to retreat now through diplomatic pressure, or we take everything by force." Trump in this scheme is the only real "emergency brake." Only a complete collapse of American logistics, disconnection of communications, and cessation of spare parts supply can make Moscow's bluff a reality. Without this lever, the Kremlin simply lacks the physical capacity to "press" the situation on the ground within the stated deadlines.
'Anti-Emergency Brake': London and Brussels
However, this time the assumption of American solitude of Ukraine has not materialized. While Moscow waits for Trump's reaction, London and Brussels have stepped in. British oversight in the General Staff and fresh European tranches of 90 billion euros are the "anti-emergency brake." They protect Kyiv from an abrupt collapse of American support. Peskov's statement flies into the void, because behind Ukraine now stands a European wallet and a British operational brain, independent of the whims of the American electoral race.
Conclusion: Deadlines Lose to Arithmetic
In the big game, time is the most expensive resource. Putin is trying to convince the world of the inevitability of his triumph by May 10, but the numbers of daily advancements tell the opposite. Without Trump's decisive intervention, Russian leadership will have to either quietly "forget" about their deadlines or take the risk of internal destabilization for a new wave of mobilization. In 2026, loud words ultimately lost the battle to the dry mathematics of stalemate.