Today, Reuters reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin is outlining conditions for ending the conflict with Ukraine. The Kremlin is demanding written commitments from Western leaders to halt NATO’s eastward expansion and to lift certain sanctions imposed on Russia.
According to a senior Russian official familiar with Kremlin discussions, “Putin is open to peace, but not at any cost.”
Three sources cited by Reuters indicate that Putin seeks a written assurance from major Western powers that they will refrain from expanding the US-led NATO alliance to the east, effectively denying membership to Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, and other former Soviet states.
Additionally, Russia demands that Ukraine maintain a neutral stance, an easing of Western sanctions, the resolution of frozen Russian state assets in the West, and the protection of Russian-speaking individuals in Ukraine.
A source noted that if Putin comes to believe he cannot secure a peace agreement on his terms, he may aim to demonstrate through military successes that “a peace agreement tomorrow will be far more difficult.”
It’s important to note that Putin and other Russian officials have consistently asserted that any peace agreement must tackle the “root causes” of the conflict, namely NATO expansion and Western support for Ukraine.
In response, Kyiv has emphasized that Russia should not hold veto power over its aspirations, while advocating for robust security guarantees to deter any future aggression from Russia.
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