Russian President Vladimir Putin has set our new conditions to end the war in Ukraine, calling for a ceasefire and immediate peace talks if Ukraine withdraws its troops from four regions occupied by Russian forces and abandons plans to join NATO.
Speaking at the Russian Foreign Ministry on Friday, June 14, Putin promised if his conditions are accepted, “We will call a ceasefire immediately,” adding that his proposal aims at a “final resolution” of the conflict. He said that the Kremlin is “ready to start negotiations without delay.”
The declaration comes on the eve of a two-day peace conference in Switzerland. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected any deal that cedes Ukrainian land to Russia.
Putin’s forces currently control most parts of Donetsk and Luhansk. In September 2022, Moscow unilaterally declared it had annexed these two regions as well as parts of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. Russian forces are also making gains in the northeastern Kharkiv region.
Point Of No Return
In his speech, Putin accused Western leaders of pushing him toward “the point of no return” regarding a potential nuclear conflict. “We have come unacceptably close to the point of no return… Calls to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia, which possesses the largest arsenal of nuclear weapons, demonstrate the extreme recklessness of Western politicians,” Putin declared.
He warned that Western politicians’ impunity and exceptionalism could lead to tragedy.
Putin’s remarks comes as G7 leaders’ meet in Italy and as Switzerland prepares to host the peace conference in Lucerne. He stressed that he does not want to “freeze” – that is suspend indefinitely – the conflict but wants a final resolution that ends hostilities.
Other demands for peace from the Russian leader include Ukraine’s non-nuclear status, restrictions on its military, and the protection of the Russian-speaking population in the whole Ukraine.
“We’re urging to turn this tragic page of history and to begin restoring unity between Russia and Ukraine and in Europe in general,” Putin said, clearly laying out his conditions for ending the war.
More Conditions
Putin insisted that Ukraine must remove its troops from the regions that joined Russia during the conflict and recognize the sovereignty of Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014. He outlined that any future agreements should include the lifting of Western sanctions against Russia.
The Russian president’s remarks came just before a Swiss-hosted summit promoting peace in Ukraine. Kiev has opposed inviting Moscow to the event, fearing it would “hijack” the proceedings to promote its agenda. Putin claimed the summit intended to distract from the “true roots” of the conflict and accused Zelensky of clinging to power despite his expired presidential term.
Putin concluded that nothing but demagoguery and accusations against Russia would emerge from the Swiss gathering, further complicating the path to peace.
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