Panorama

Putin rejects Zelensky's peace plan as CIA chief arrives in Moscow

The Kremlin declares Donbass Russian territory while the Vatican continues its peace mission.

26 August 2026Tagblick Newsdesk

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Archive photo: Putin rejects Zelensky's peace plan as CIA chief arrives in Moscow — Archive photoPhoto: U.S. Department of State from United States · Wikimedia Commons · Public domain

Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed the peace plan proposed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, particularly the idea of establishing a free economic zone in contested territories like Donbass. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Donbass is part of the Russian Federation and emphasized that Zelensky's initiative is unacceptable.

Meanwhile, CIA chief John Ratcliffe has arrived in Moscow for talks that are also expected to address the situation in Iran. Ratcliffe's mission follows a meeting between Monsignor Gallagher, the Vatican Secretary for Relations with States, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

During this meeting, Gallagher reiterated to Lavrov that there is no military solution to the ongoing conflict. The Holy See's position is clear in advocating for a peaceful resolution to the war.

The parties have discussed the issue of prisoner exchanges, a matter of significant importance for relations between the two conflicting nations. The Kremlin is working on a major exchange, showing some openness to negotiations on this specific point.

The context of Ratcliffe and Gallagher's visit to Moscow underscores the complexity of the current situation, highlighting the intensification of diplomatic talks even amid opposition to Ukrainian proposals.

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