Russia claims it will halt military action ‘in a moment’ if Ukraine agrees to meet three demands.
Experts believe Ukraine’s resistance has shocked many in Moscow, including Vladimir Putin himself. Here’s what we know so far:
New comments from Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesperson, lay out Russia’s demands to end Ukraine war. These three conditions must be accepted by Kyiv, with both countries’ foreign ministers set to meet in Turkey later this week.
This was the most explicit Russian statement of the terms of its demands it wants to impose on Ukraine to stop what it calls its ‘special military operation’.
Peskov said Moscow was demanding that Ukraine ceases military action, change its constitution to ‘enshrine neutrality’, acknowledge Crimea as Russian territory, and recognize Donetsk and Lugansk as independent states.
He also claimed that Ukraine have already been informed of these demands, and that ‘they were told that all this can be stopped in a moment.’
The Kremlin spokesperson told Reuters:
‘We really are finishing the demilitarisation of Ukraine. We will finish it. But the main thing is that Ukraine ceases its military action. They should stop their military action and then no one will shoot,’
‘They should make amendments to their constitution according to which Ukraine would reject any aims to enter any bloc. We have also spoken about how they should recognise that Crimea is Russian territory and that they need to recognise that Donetsk and Lugansk are independent states. And that’s it. It will stop in a moment.’
The war on Ukraine is now in its 12th day and has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of civilians.
