June 14th 2024.
On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin made a promise to immediately order a cease-fire in Ukraine and initiate negotiations, but with one condition: Kyiv must withdraw its troops from the four regions that were annexed by Moscow in 2022 and abandon its plans to join NATO. However, Ukraine quickly denounced Putin's proposal as manipulative and absurd.
The timing of Putin's remarks was significant, as world leaders were gathering in Switzerland to discuss peace in Ukraine. However, Russia was not invited to the conference. These statements also coincided with a meeting of the Group of Seven nations in Italy, where the US and Ukraine had just signed a security agreement that Russia deemed null and void.
In a speech at the Russian Foreign Ministry, Putin criticized the Switzerland conference as a ploy to divert attention and misrepresent the cause and effect of the crisis in Ukraine. He emphasized that the Kremlin is eager to find a permanent solution to the conflict and is ready to start negotiations without delay.
Putin listed several demands for peace, including Ukraine's recognition of Crimea as part of Russia, maintaining its non-nuclear status, limiting its military force, and protecting the rights of Russian-speaking populations. He stressed that these demands should be addressed in fundamental international agreements and that all Western sanctions against Russia should be lifted.
"We urge to turn this tragic page of history and begin restoring the unity between Russia and Ukraine, and in Europe as a whole," Putin stated.
This speech was a rare occasion in which Putin explicitly laid out his conditions for ending the war in Ukraine, although they were not new demands. The Kremlin has long maintained that Kyiv should recognize its territorial gains and abandon its plans to join NATO.
However, Ukraine's Foreign Ministry dismissed Putin's proposal as manipulative and absurd, accusing him of trying to deceive the international community and undermine diplomatic efforts for peace.
Ukraine has its own set of demands for peace, including the withdrawal of Russian forces from its territory, the restoration of its territorial integrity, and holding Russia accountable for war crimes. They also seek reparations from Moscow for damages caused by the conflict.
The war in Ukraine began in February 2022 when Russia launched a full-scale invasion. After Ukrainian forces successfully defended their capital, the fighting shifted to the south and east, where Russia illegally annexed regions, although they do not have full control over them.
Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, commented that there was nothing new in Putin's speech. He called the Russian leader's demands the "standard aggressor's set" and accused him of wanting to continue the war in new forms.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, speaking at a NATO headquarters in Brussels, stated that Putin has illegally occupied Ukrainian territory and has no right to dictate terms for peace. He also pointed out that Russia initiated the conflict without provocation and could end it today if they chose to do so.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg also weighed in, saying that Putin's proposal was not a peace plan but a call for more aggression and occupation. He asserted that Russia's ultimate goal is to control Ukraine.
In his speech, Putin insisted that Kyiv must withdraw from all four annexed regions and essentially hand them over to Moscow within their administrative borders. He also mentioned a desire for a "strong land connection" to Crimea, which he claimed to have proposed to a foreign official in March 2022. However, the Kremlin went on to annex the regions in November, citing the results of questionable referendums. Putin declared that this matter is closed and not up for discussion.
On the same day, there was intense fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces, with Russia claiming to have shot down 87 Ukrainian drones. In the Belgorod region of Russia, a residential building collapsed due to Ukrainian shelling, injuring three people. In response, Ukraine's air force reported firing 14 missiles and taking down 17 Shahed drones. The attacks also injured six people in the Donetsk region and three women in a bus near the village of Esman in the Sumy region.
Ukraine's military has been at a disadvantage in recent months, with a shortage of ammunition and weaponry due to delays in promised Western military aid. Russia has also targeted Ukraine's power grid with drones. Despite these challenges, Ukraine remains determined to defend its territory and seek a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
Lastly, Russia returned the bodies of 254 Ukrainian soldiers to their home country. Once identified, the bodies will be returned to their families, according to Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.
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