Russian President Vladimir Putin gave a clear indication Wednesday that he will not compromise on his demands for Ukraine to cede territory despite US President Donald Trump’s intensifying push for peace.

Putin said at an annual meeting with top military officers that Moscow will move to expand a “buffer security zone” along the border.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told ABC News during an exclusive interview in Moscow on Monday that he believes the warring parties are close to a deal.

President Donald Trump on Monday described an end to the war in Ukraine as closer than ever, with American officials earlier in the day suggesting beefed-up security guarantees for Kyiv had advanced the peace talks — but that the US offer would not be on the table forever.

President Donald Trump has directed U.S. officials to help to facilitate a “lasting and durable peace" between Ukraine and Russia, with a "very, very strong" package being presented.

The European Commission has proposed that the leaders use some of the frozen assets — totaling 210 billion euros ($246 billion) — to underwrite a 90 billion-euro ($105 billion) “reparations loan” to Ukraine. The U.K., Canada and Norway would fill the gap.

Russian glide bomb attacks in Ukraine's southern Zaporizhzhia region wounded 26 people including a child on Wednesday, according to the regional governor.

U.S. administration officials signaled Monday a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine may be closer than ever.

The officials said talks with President Trump’s envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, led to narrowing differences on security guarantees that Kyiv said must be provided, as well as on Moscow’s demand that Ukraine concede land in the Donbas region in the country’s east.

But part is because Ukraine is keeping secret the methods it hopes will help it regain a winning edge elsewhere. Participants refuse to say how they circumvented the all-seeing eyes and kill-zones of the modern battlefield.