Russian President Vladimir Putin appears willing to make peace with Ukraine, but only under strict conditions, including Kiev's neutrality, a written commitment not to further expand NATO eastward, and the gradual lifting of a significant part of sanctions, three Russian sources with knowledge of the negotiations told Reuters.
Putin is reportedly insisting on explicit commitments from major Western powers, demanding that the possibility of NATO membership for Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova and other former Soviet republics be ruled out in writing.
According to the same sources, Moscow seeks:
Neutrality of Ukraine
Lifting sanctions against Russia
Resolving the issue of frozen Russian assets in the West
Institutional guarantees for the protection of Russian speakers in Ukraine
Donald Trump has expressed his intention to end the war, but has recently been irritated by Putin's refusal to engage directly in talks. On Tuesday, he warned that the Russian president was "playing with fire" as Moscow escalates its attacks in eastern Ukraine.
The two leaders recently spoke by phone for more than two hours. Putin said he had agreed to work on a memorandum with Ukraine that would set out the framework for a peace deal and a timetable for a ceasefire. However, Russian sources said Moscow was “still working out its own version” and there was no timetable for its completion.
Ukraine and European governments accuse Moscow of deliberately stalling, gaining ground on the battlefield. A Russian official said: “Putin is ready to make peace, but not at any price. If he cannot impose his terms, he will show with military victories that peace tomorrow will be even more painful.”
The Kremlin did not respond to Reuters requests for comment. Ukrainian sources also did not comment, while NATO remains steadfast in its "open door" policy, stressing that it will not revise it because Moscow demands it.
Source: protothema.gr
