Putin: 'Security zone' along border off-limits in Ukraine peace talks

During a visit to a command post, Putin stated that the creation of a 'security zone' along the border will not be subject to peace negotiations with Ukraine, and ordered continued 'massive, concentrated' strikes on Ukrainian military-industrial and logistics targets. This hardens Russia's pre-negotiation stance, signaling that territorial buffer demands remain non-negotiable, reducing near-term prospects for a diplomatic settlement.