In a recent development, Russian President Vladimir Putin has pledged to initiate an immediate cease-fire in Ukraine and commence negotiations, contingent on Ukraine's withdrawal of troops from the four regions annexed by Moscow in 2022 and its abandonment of plans to join NATO.
This proposal, however, was met with disdain by Ukraine, who labeled Putin's proposition as "manipulative" and "absurd."
According to ABC News, Putin's comments were made in the backdrop of Switzerland's preparations to host numerous world leaders, excluding Moscow, to discuss potential steps towards peace in Ukraine. These remarks also coincided with a meeting of the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations in Italy and followed the signing of a 10-year security agreement between the U.S. and Ukraine, which Russian officials, including Putin, have dismissed as "null and void."
Putin criticized the Switzerland conference as a mere distraction, designed to divert attention from the real cause of the Ukrainian crisis and misdirect the discourse. He made his proposal during a speech at the Russian Foreign Ministry, emphasizing a "final resolution" of the conflict rather than "freezing it," and asserted that the Kremlin is prepared to commence negotiations without delay.
Putin's broader demands for peace encompassed Ukraine's recognition of Crimea as part of Russia, maintaining the country's non-nuclear status, limiting its military force, and safeguarding the interests of the Russian-speaking population. He insisted that these conditions should form part of "fundamental international agreements," and all Western sanctions against Russia should be lifted.
Putin expressed his desire to turn the tragic page of history and begin the process of restoring unity between Russia and Ukraine, and Europe in general. His remarks, delivered to a group of somber Foreign Ministry officials, represented a rare occasion where he explicitly outlined his conditions for ending the war in Ukraine. However, these conditions did not include any new demands. The Kremlin has previously stated that Kyiv should recognize its territorial gains and abandon its bid to join NATO.
Ukraine's Foreign Ministry, however, dismissed Putin's plan as "manipulative," "absurd," and designed to "mislead the international community, undermine diplomatic efforts aimed at achieving a just peace, and split the unity of the world majority around the goals and principles of the U.N. Charter." Ukraine's demands include Russia's withdrawal of its troops from all of its territory, including the illegally annexed Crimean Peninsula, restoration of its territorial integrity, holding Russia accountable for war crimes, and paying reparations to Kyiv.
Russia initiated a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. After Ukrainian forces thwarted a Russian drive to the capital, much of the fighting has been concentrated in the south and east. Russia illegally annexed regions in the east and the south, although it does not fully control any of them.
Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, dismissed Putin's proposal as nothing new and labeled it as the "standard aggressor's set," which has been heard many times already. He criticized Putin's lack of genuine desire to end the war and accused him of wanting to continue the war in new formats without bearing the cost.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, speaking at NATO headquarters in Brussels, criticized Putin for illegally occupying sovereign Ukrainian territory and stated that Putin is not in a position to dictate the terms of peace to Ukraine. He added that Putin initiated this war without provocation and could end it if he chose to do so.
Putin insisted that Kyiv should withdraw from all four annexed regions entirely and essentially cede them to Moscow within their administrative borders. He warned that if "Kyiv and Western capitals" reject his offer, they bear the political and moral responsibility for the continued bloodshed.
Throughout the war, the Kremlin has repeatedly expressed its readiness for peace talks with Kyiv and blamed the West for undermining its efforts to end the conflict. Putin claimed that his troops never intended to storm Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, even though they approached the city. He described the troop presence as an operation to force the Ukrainian regime to peace and to push the Ukrainian side to negotiate.
Putin also claimed that he had discussed the possibility of withdrawing forces from the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions and ceding occupied parts of them back to Ukraine, provided Kyiv allowed Russia to have a "strong land connection" to Crimea. However, the Kremlin then annexed both regions, along with the Donetsk and Luhansk provinces, citing the results of sham "referendums" it staged there. Putin stated that "the matter is closed forever and is no longer up for discussion."
As the situation continues to evolve, it remains to be seen how these developments will impact the ongoing conflict and the potential for peace in Ukraine. The international community watches with bated breath, hoping for a resolution that respects the sovereignty of nations and the principles of international law.
Login