Kremlin's Demands Revealed: Ukraine's To-Do List to End Hostilities
Russia sets forth its required actions for Ukraine:
Here's the lowdown on Russia's demands for a truce and potential future peace agreement with Ukraine, as outlined in their recent memorandum. The document, handed over during the second round of talks in Istanbul, may bring some seismic changes to the geopolitical landscape if Ukraine agrees.
Russia's Peace Offering: A 30-Day Truce
Russia has offered two options for a 30-day ceasefire:
Option 1: A complete pullback of Ukrainian military forces from the Russian-held territories of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson, currently under Russian control but partially recognized by Ukraine.
Option 2: A temporary halt of hostilities along the existing frontlines. This would require Ukraine to stop mobilizing troops, curtail foreign military aid, and cease intelligence-sharing with Western states. The ceasefire would be monitored by a joint center yet to be established.
Beyond the ceasefire, Ukraine must guarantee it will end any sabotage activities in Russia and lift martial law before elections can be held within 100 days.
Russia's Long-Term Expectations: A Permanent Peace
To secure a lasting peace, Russia sets forth several defining conditions Russia expects Ukraine to meet, including:
Crimea and Annexed Territories: An international recognition of Crimea and the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia territories as part of the Russian Federation.
Ukraine's Neutrality: An unwavering commitment to non-alignment, effectively barring Ukraine from joining NATO or any other military alliance.
Nuclear and Military Concessions: Ukraine must adopt a nuclear-free status and limit the number of its armed forces. Moscow also demands the dissolution of nationalist military groups and the National Guard.
Freedom of Speech: Russia insists that they and their ethnically Russian speakers are granted the right to use Russian as an official language in Ukraine.
Lifting of Sanctions: Ukraine must remove all sanctions and restore diplomatic relations with Russia to help build a basis for trust.
Economic Ties: Even the resumption of gas transit through Ukraine to Europe is mentioned in the document.
UN Verification: A UN resolution should confirm any peace treaty signed between the two countries.
Political Changes: A prerequisite for signing any peace treaty, Russia demands Ukraine to elect a new government before the agreement is finalized. This is interpreted by some as pushing for regime change.
Addressing Root Causes: Ukraine must address the perceived root causes of the conflict, such as NATO expansion and discrimination against Russian speakers.
utm_source=enrichment&utm_medium=apiFor a lasting resolution, Moscow also demands the protection of minority rights and removal of any obstacles that inhibit Russian-speaking Ukrainians from fully exercising their rights within Ukraine.
In the context of the community policy and general news, the Kremlin has outlined stringent demands for Ukraine, including a 30-day truce that involves a complete pullback of Ukrainian forces or a temporary halt of hostilities with conditions such as stopping mobilization, curtailing foreign military aid, and ceasing intelligence-sharing with Western states. Long-term conditions for a permanent peace include international recognition of Crimea and annexed territories as part of Russia, Ukraine committing to non-alignment and adopting a nuclear-free status, allowing Russian as an official language, lifting sanctions, restoring diplomatic relations, resuming gas transit, and obtaining UN verification for any peace treaty. Additionally, Russia demands Ukraine to elect a new government before the agreement is finalized, indicating a potential push for regime change, and addressing root causes such as NATO expansion and discrimination against Russian speakers. Moreover, minority rights protection and removal of obstacles for Russian-speaking Ukrainians are also key expectations set by Moscow. Such demands, if met, could significantly influence politics and potentially escalate war-and-conflicts in the region.
