Russian President Vladimir Putin outlined conditions under which Russia would agree to a ceasefire and engage in peace negotiations with Ukraine during a speech on Friday, ahead of an international peace conference in Switzerland that excluded Russia.
Putin specified that for a ceasefire to take effect, Ukraine must withdraw all its troops from Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions in eastern and southern Ukraine.
He emphasized that Russia would immediately reciprocate with a cessation of hostilities and ensure the safe withdrawal of Ukrainian military units from these areas.
"As soon as they declare in Kyiv that they are ready for such a decision and begin a real withdrawal of troops from these regions, and also officially announce the abandonment of their plans to join NATO – on our side, immediately, literally at the same minute, an order will follow to cease fire and begin negotiations," Putin said.
The conflict, now in its third year, has seen Russia control nearly a fifth of Ukrainian territory. Ukraine insists that any lasting peace must include the complete withdrawal of Russian forces and the restoration of its territorial integrity.
The weekend summit in Switzerland is set to convene representatives from over 90 nations and organizations to address humanitarian issues such as food security and nuclear safety in Ukraine.
Despite calls from the Kremlin that the summit would be "futile" without Russia's participation, the event is scheduled to proceed without Russian representation.
The international community continues to seek a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Ukraine, but Russia's conditions for a ceasefire and peace talks present significant challenges to achieving a lasting solution.
