Conflict in Ukraine - Russian President Putin insists on Kiev's withdrawal from four areas and their rejection of NATO membership as conditions for a truce.
Putin has set the terms for a weapons ceasefire and peace talks with Ukraine, requiring the withdrawal of troops from four areas and a renunciation of NATO membership. "As soon as Kiev starts withdrawing forces from Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhia, and officially renounces its plans for NATO membership, we will stop the firing and begin negotiating," he told Russian Foreign Ministry leaders on Friday.
Putin's Demand for Ukrainian Surrender
Putin is demanding that Ukraine give up these regions, partly controlled by Russian military, directly to Russia. Moscow claims to have annexed these eastern and southern Ukrainian regions in September 22. This request from Putin can be seen as a de facto demand for surrender from Kiev's perspective.
Putin deemed the upcoming peace conference in Switzerland a "diversionary tactic," designed to divert attention away from the real cause of the conflict. He believes that without Russian participation in the negotiations, it will be impossible to achieve a peaceful resolution in Ukraine and maintain overall security for Europe.
