Russian President Vladimir Putin has said a lasting peace settlement in Ukraine will be impossible unless the sides agree on a clear line of demarcation.

Axar.az reports, citing Russian media, that speaking ahead of a meeting with US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Putin added that Ukraine had raised the issue of gray zones, but said this would remain a major point of disagreement between the sides.

“For us, there is only one line of demarcation – the line of the state border,” he said.

According to Putin, the sides could interpret the size of gray zones differently, making any agreements on the issue unstable. He warned that without resolving this question, “there will be no lasting peace”.