Yesterday, the Russian president presented a list of demands for peace negotiations, which, in short, require Ukraine to leave the oblasts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhya, and to commit to remaining neutral and not joining NATO.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg says the peace proposal is in fact a “declaration of more war” and promises that NATO will continue to support Ukraine militarily.
According to president Vladimir Putin, Kiev’s acceptance of the terms of the proposal would lead to an immediate cessation of hostilities from the Russian side.
– On our part, immediately, literally the same minute, an order will be given to cease fire and start negotiations, Vladimir Putin said.
Putin outlines Russia's conditions for a peace agreement:
– The Istanbul agreement (restoring Ukraine's neutrality) plus the territories that Russia annexed https://t.co/rmOmuUNuiA pic.twitter.com/D0btPH8SWS— Glenn Diesen (@Glenn_Diesen) June 14, 2024
The idea of Ukraine giving up the four territories and NATO membership has already been rejected by the government in Kiev, and Mr. Stoltenberg also says that the proposal cannot be accepted under any circumstances.
– This is a proposal of more aggression, more occupation. And it demonstrates in a way that Russia’s aim is to control Ukraine and that has been the purpose of Russia since the beginning of this war. And that’s a blatant violation of international law and that’s also the reason why NATO Allies continue to support Ukraine, he argues.
– It’s not for Ukraine to withdraw forces from Ukrainian territory. It’s for Russia to withdraw their forces from occupied Ukrainian land, the NATO chief continued.
“Means that Russia’s goal becomes a reality”
According to Stoltenberg, accepting Moscow’s peace proposal would mean that “Russia’s goal becomes a reality”.
– The proposal means that Russia would get all four territories it claims are not Ukrainian and that Ukraine would give up significantly more land than it has already lost, he continued.
This weekend, Switzerland will host a peace conference focused on the war in Ukraine. Some 100 countries are expected to attend – but representatives from Russia have not been invited, a decision that has been heavily criticized and described as odd if the goal is to bring lasting peace to the region.
