Putin's negotiators ‘soften hardline stance in private’ & Trump links security guarantees to Zelensky ceding territory
Ukraine: The Latest
Louisa Wells / Francis Dearnley
4.8 • 2.7K Ratings
🗓️ 27 January 2026
⏱️ 40 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Day 1,433.
Today, amid increased Russian military pressure in the Donbas, and as Ukraine faces what the NATO Secretary General calls its “harshest winter for a decade”, we bring you the latest from the Ukraine peace talks, where the United States is understood to be increasing pressure on President Zelensky’s government to concede territory to Russia before Washington grants any security guarantees. But is Moscow’s position under Vladimir Putin softer than it appears, as some allege? Then we discuss civilian resilience in Ukraine with an expert from Harvard University.
Contributors
Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X.
Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.
With thanks to Dr Emma Mateo (Harvard University’s Ukrainian Research Institute). @emm_mateo on X.
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Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It’s free for everyone, including non-subscribers.
CONTENT REFERENCED:
Learn more about Harvard’s Ukrainian Research Institute’s ‘Solidarity Within and Beyond Ukraine Conference this Friday and Saturday:
https://www.huri.harvard.edu/tcup-conference
France opposes EU plan to buy British Storm Shadows for Ukraine (The Telegraph):
Exclusive: Russian negotiators soften hardline stance in private, US officials say. Ukrainians urge caution (Kyiv Independent):
US links security guarantees for Ukraine to peace deal ceding territory (Financial Times):
https://www.ft.com/content/8ca0d4fd-fdfd-4aa3-a3a2-90be00d55b9d
NATO boss Rutte slaps down calls for European army prompted by Trump fears (Reuters):
Commission approves second wave of SAFE defence funding for eight Member States (EU):
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_26_211
‘Bread and War: A Ukrainian Story of Food, Bravery and Hope’ by Felicity Spector:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bread-War-Ukrainian-Story-Bravery/dp/1914613783
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | The Telegraph. I'm Francis Dernley, and this is Ukraine, the latest. Today, amid increased Russian military pressure in the Dombas, and as Ukraine faces what the NATO Secretary General calls its harshest winter for a decade, |
| 0:22.6 | we bring you the latest from the Ukraine peace talks, where the United States is understood |
| 0:27.1 | to be increasing pressure on Zelensky's government to concede territory to Russia |
| 0:31.9 | before Washington grants any security guarantees. But is Moscow's position under Putin softer than it appears? |
| 0:40.3 | Then we discuss civilian resilience in Ukraine with an expert from Harvard University. |
| 0:46.3 | Bravering takes you through the most unimaginable hardships to finally reward you with victory. |
| 0:56.2 | The Russians is not one feast. |
| 0:58.0 | First, we're fighting, with our help for the Ukraine, |
| 1:01.5 | also our freedom and our European values. |
| 1:06.7 | If I'm president, I will have that war settled in one day, 24 hours. |
| 1:10.7 | We are with you, not just today or tomorrow, but for a hundred years. |
| 1:15.7 | We don't know as European, let's be gained the Russia in Ukraine. |
| 1:20.3 | Nobody's going to break us. We're strong. We're Ukrainians. |
| 1:26.2 | It's Tuesday, the 27th of January, three years and 339 days since the full-scale invasion began. |
| 1:34.1 | And today, I'm joined by our Associate Editor for Defense, Dominic Nichols, and dialing in from |
| 1:38.3 | the United States, Dr Emma Matteo of Harvard University's Ukrainian Research Institute. |
| 1:43.6 | But first, over to Dom, for the latest in the military realm. |
| 1:47.4 | Let's start in the Dombast, so I keep saying there's very little movement on the ground. |
| 1:51.2 | There is very little movement, but that means there is some. |
| 1:54.0 | So it would be wrong, not every now and again to check in and have a chat about what's happening. |
| 1:58.3 | But it really is tiny, tiny movements. |
| 2:01.1 | But Russia is increasing the pressure to the east and the southeast of Sloviansk in the |
... |
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