Putin's conditions for negotiating peace

According to Bloomberg, Russian President Vladimir Putin is still unwilling to compromise in peace talks, complicating US President Donald Trump's efforts to reach an agreement.

According to the media, Vladimir Putin has deliberately set "maximalist" territorial demands, knowing they're likely to be unacceptable to Kiev and European nations.

In June 2024, Mr. Putin insisted that Ukraine withdraw from four partially occupied regions - Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia - as a precondition for negotiations.

Although Donald Trump claimed on February 24 that Mr. Putin would allow the presence of European peacekeepers in Ukraine as part of an agreement, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov rejected this idea.

According to Western officials, Vladimir Putin is prepared to continue the war if his conditions aren't met, raising doubts about his seriousness regarding a settlement.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed these claims in a comment to Bloomberg, insisting that Russia remains open to diplomatic negotiations.

(MH with AmBar/Source: X/Photo: DPA/Russian Look/Kremlin Pool)