Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that Moscow will not compromise over Ukraine’s Donbas region, vowing to use force if necessary to secure full control. In an interview with India Today on December 4, Putin said that either Russian forces will liberate the remaining areas or Ukrainian troops must withdraw. Currently, Russia controls about 85 percent of Donbas. The warning comes as U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration continues mediation efforts, with Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff meeting both Russian and Ukrainian representatives. The United States recently proposed a 28-point peace plan, including a clause suggesting that remaining Ukrainian-held parts of Donbas be ceded to Russia—a proposal strongly opposed by Kyiv and European nations. Putin acknowledged that Russia agrees with some U.S. proposals but rejects others, without specifying which. The statement underscores Moscow’s hardened stance following recent battlefield gains and complicates international efforts to end the ongoing war.