Russia’s demands for agreeing to a peace settlement in Ukraine have been tightened considerably since the first peace talks – which were rejected by Ukraine – this time last year.
In an interview with RTVI today, cited by Eurasia Daily, March 29, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin named ten conditions for Russia to establish “sustainable peace in Ukraine and Europe”. The ten demands listed below.
1. Ukraine’s cessation of hostilities and an end to arms deliveries by Western countries.
– We believe that a comprehensive, just and sustainable peace in Ukraine and Europe is possible with the cessation of hostilities by Ukrainian armed formations and the supply of weapons by Western countries, as well as the withdrawal of foreign mercenaries, Galuzin noted.
2. Ensuring Ukraine’s neutral and non-aligned status, its refusal to join NATO and the EU (we note that Russia has not previously set conditions for the European Union).
3. Confirmation of Ukraine’s nuclear-free status.
4. Recognition by Ukraine and the international community of the “new territorial realities” (i.e., annexation of former Ukrainian territories to Russia).
– Ukraine’s neutral and non-aligned status, its refusal to join NATO and the EU, confirmation of Ukraine’s nuclear-free status, and recognition of new territorial realities by Kiev and the international community are necessary, the diplomat pointed out.
5. “Demilitarization” and “denazification” of Ukraine.
6. Protection of the rights of Russian-speaking citizens, the Russian language and national minorities.
7. Ensuring free cross-border movement with Russia.
8. Cancellation by Ukraine and the West of anti-Russian sanctions and withdrawal of lawsuits, termination of legal proceedings against Russia, its individuals and legal entities.
– In addition, demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine, protection of the rights of Russian-speaking citizens, the Russian language and national minorities, free cross-border movement with Russia, cancellation of anti-Russian sanctions by Ukraine and the West and withdrawal of lawsuits, termination of legal proceedings against Russia, its individuals and legal entities are mandatory conditions, the deputy minister listed.
9. Restoration of Ukraine’s contractual and legal framework with Russia and the CIS.
10. Restoration of “the civil infrastructure of Ukraine destroyed by the AFU after 2014” with the money of the West.
– It is important to restore Ukraine’s contractual and legal base with Russia and the CIS, as well as – with Western money – the civilian infrastructure destroyed by the AFU after 2014, Galuzin stressed.
– We will not tolerate the existence of an openly anti-Russian state on our borders, whatever its borders may be, he concluded.
Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky and his allies have so far shown no serious signs of coming to the negotiating table under the current circumstances.
