Russia said its demands did not change: Ukraine’s full withdrawal from the area claimed by Moscow
Russia said on Wednesday that his attitude ending the war in Ukraine had not changed since President Vladimir Putin set his condition last year: Full withdrawal of Kyiv forces from the main areas of Ukraine and the neglect of his NATO ambitions.
Putin and US President Donald Trump will meet on Friday in Alaska, the first US-Russian Summit since 2021, to discuss efforts to end the war. Trump said both parties had to exchange some of the land they were currently holding to make it happen.
Russia currently controls 19% of Ukraine including all Crimea, all Luhanansk, more than 70% of the Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, and Kharkiv, Sumy, Mykolaiv and Dnipropetrovsk regions.
After a report by several media that Washington understood Putin was ready to compromise with his territorial demands, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexei Fadeev was asked by reporters whether Russia’s position had changed or not.
“Russia’s position remains unchanged, and it was voiced in this hall more than a year ago, on June 14, 2024,” Fadeev said, referring to the speech delivered by Putin then at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
At that time, in full public comments so far about the formation of the possibility of completion, the head of the Kremlin set demands including the withdrawal of Ukraine forces from the Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson section they were still controlling.
Putin also said that Kyiv had to officially tell Moscow that they left their plans to join the NATO military alliance led by the US, and that it was intended to remain neutral and not in harmony.
In addition, Putin said that the rights and freedom of Russian speakers in Ukraine must be ascertained, and the “reality” of Crimea, Luhanansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson is now part of Russia.
Putin said his condition must also be reflected in international agreements. During his speech in 2024, Ukraine rejected his demands the same as an absurd ultimatum.
Ukraine has repeatedly said that he will never recognize the Russian occupation of its land, and most countries recognize the Ukraine territory in the 1991 border. Based on the current frontline, Putin’s request will require Ukraine who submitted an additional 21,000 square km (8,100 square miles) to Russia.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Russia had to approve a ceasefire before the territorial issue was discussed. He will reject every Russian proposal that Ukraine withdrew his troops from the East Donbas region and handed over his defense line.
Source: Reuters
