Moscow, Russia – On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared that Ukraine must withdraw its troops from the territories annexed by Russia as a prerequisite for any resolution to the ongoing conflict. This statement came during Putin’s visit to the Foreign Ministry in Moscow, just ahead of the Ukraine peace summit in Switzerland scheduled for the weekend.
Key Conditions for Peace
Putin outlined several conditions for peace, emphasizing that if Ukraine renounces its NATO membership ambitions, Russia would be ready to cease fire and engage in negotiations immediately. His remarks were also directed at the G7 summit currently taking place in Italy and the Ukraine peace summit set to open on Saturday in Bürgenstock, a resort in the Swiss mountains.
Putin reiterated that the annexation of Ukrainian regions Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhya, and Kherson by Russia is irreversible. He demanded that Ukraine withdraw its military forces from the parts of these regions still under its control, stressing that these are Russia’s minimum demands to achieve a definitive resolution rather than a temporary freeze of the conflict.
Historical Demands Reiterated
Putin restated the demands he made when Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. He called for the creation of a neutral, non-aligned, and nuclear-free Ukraine, which should also be disarmed and “denazified.” The term “denazified” is widely interpreted in the West as implying the installation of a Russia-approved leadership in Kyiv.
Current Territorial Control
Currently, Russia occupies approximately 20% of Ukraine’s territory, including the Crimean peninsula, which it annexed illegally in 2014. Ukraine, on the other hand, has consistently aimed to reclaim all occupied territories, including Crimea.
Ukrainian Stance
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky maintains the goal of reclaiming occupied territories and has called for the prosecution of Russian war crimes and reparations from Russia for the extensive destruction caused by the conflict.
Outlook
As the peace summit approaches, the starkly opposing positions of Russia and Ukraine present significant challenges to any potential diplomatic breakthroughs. The international community, particularly participants at the G7 summit and the Ukraine peace summit, will closely watch the developments to see if a path to peace can be negotiated under these stringent conditions.
