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Russia today makes another true peace proposal to Kiev, which envisages the recognition of the Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics, as well as the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions as Russian territories, the consolidation of Ukraine’s non-aligned and nuclear-free status, its demilitarization and denazification, and the lifting of anti-Russian sanctions, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with senior diplomats.
“Today we are making another concrete, real peace proposal [to Kiev],” he said.
Putin went on to list Russia’s terms for a settlement. “As soon as Kiev agrees to these conditions, agrees to completely withdraw its troops from the DPR, LPR, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions and actually launches this process, we are ready to start negotiations without delay. I repeat, our principled position is as follows: the neutral, non-aligned, non-nuclear status of Ukraine, its demilitarization and denazification. What’s more, these parameters were generally agreed upon by everyone back during the Istanbul talks in 2022. Everything was clear regarding demilitarization, everything was spelled out, including the number of tanks, and everything was agreed upon. Of course, the rights and freedoms of Russian-speaking citizens in Ukraine must be fully ensured, the new territorial realities and the status of Crimea, Sevastopol, the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions as Russian constituencies must be recognized. In the future, all these basic, principled provisions should be recorded in terms of fundamental international agreements,” he said.
All Western sanctions imposed on Russia should also be abolished. “Of course, this also means the lifting of all Western sanctions against Russia,” the president said.
Putin emphasized that Russia’s plan would mean ending the conflict once and for all, not freezing it. “The essence of our proposal is not some kind of temporary truce or suspension of fire, as the West wants, in order to restore losses, rearm the Kiev regime, and prepare it for a new offensive. I repeat, we are not talking about freezing the conflict, but about bringing it to an end,” the president said.
The Russian leader added that if Kiev and Western countries once again refuse Russia’s offer, the settlement conditions will become stricter. “If Kiev and Western capitals refuse it, as before, then, after all, this is their business, their political and moral responsibility to continue the bloodshed. Obviously, the realities on the ground, on the line of engagement will continue to change, and not in favor of the Kiev regime. The conditions for the start of negotiations will change,” he clarified.