Ukraine rejects Russian terms in tense ceasefire negotiations

At the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Moscow presented demands to Kyiv that included nearly complete disarmament of the country and the renunciation of Crimea and Donbas. This information was disclosed by the Radio Svoboda portal, which obtained documents detailing the initial ceasefire terms.

According to Radio Svoboda's "System" project, Russia wanted Ukraine to become a state with limited sovereignty, which was intended to result from capitulation.

During the third round of talks in Belarus on March 7, 2022, Russia presented its demands to the Ukrainian authorities. The document, whose credibility is confirmed by both Ukrainian and Russian sources, included, among other things, a demand to recognize the independence of the self-proclaimed republics in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions and to reduce the Ukrainian army to 50,000 soldiers, including only 1,500 officers.

Russia also demanded the lifting of sanctions imposed on it after 2014 and the withdrawal of international proceedings. Ukraine was also to recognize the Russian language as a state language and lift the ban on Soviet symbols.

In return, Russia offered only a ceasefire without mentioning the withdrawal of its troops from Ukraine. During negotiations in Istanbul in April 2022, Moscow's demands were already milder, and Ukraine attempted to include security guarantees in the talks. Despite this, the parties did not reach an agreement and have not held peace negotiations since then.

According to the "Financial Times," at the end of October 2024, the conflicting parties discussed ending attacks on energy facilities. Currently, contacts between the authorities of Ukraine and Russia are limited to the exchange of prisoners, abducted children, and the grain agreement.