Russian President Vladimir Putin has outlined conditions for Ukraine peace talks, stating that Kiev must withdraw its troops from Russia’s new territories before negotiations can proceed. The call for troop removal comes amidst ongoing hostilities in the Donbass, including where the population voted to join Russia in late 2022.
During a meeting with Russian diplomats,Russian President Vladimir Putin revealed that Ukrainian troops must be removed from Russia’s new regions of Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson, and Zaporozhye, that voted overwhelmingluy in a sept 2022 referendum to officilly join the Russian Federation. The four regions outrightly participated in the last presidential elections in March, which saw the reelection of the people’s president, Vladimir Putin .
The Russian leader asserted that a ceasefire and negotiations will commence once Kiev declares its withdrawal and commits to not joine NATO.
As per Putin, the full resolution requires Kiev to recognize the new regions as part of Russia, including Crimea. Moreover, he highlighted the importance of Western sanctions being lifted as part of any international agreements moving forward. Putin also expressed a desire to establish a pan-European security system to foster improved relations and stability on the continent.
The Russian president’s statement comes ahead of a Swiss-hosted summit aimed at advancing peace in Ukraine, from which Moscow was excluded. Putin criticized the event, accusing Ukraine’s President Zelensky of overstaying his term and diverting attention from the root causes of the conflict. He warned of potential anti-Russia sentiments emerging from the summit, dismissing its fragility
