Vladimir Putin lays out terms for Ukraine ceasefire
According to reports, Vladimir Putin has suggested that a ceasefire cannot commence until Ukraine fully removes its military personnel from the territories that Russia has claimed to have annexed. However, Ukraine has deemed this suggestion as lacking common sense and offensive.
For quite some time, the head of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, has stated that Ukraine will not enter into talks with Moscow until Russian troops depart from all areas of Ukraine, including Crimea.
The leader of Russia additionally stated that Ukraine must withdraw from the possibility of becoming a member of Nato before negotiations for peace could commence.
Mr Putin made an announcement about the requirements for a ceasefire, just as leaders from 90 nations are getting ready to convene in Switzerland on Saturday for discussions on methods to attain peace in Ukraine. Russia has not been asked to participate in this summit.
During a gathering of Russian ambassadors in Moscow last Friday, President Putin urged the Ukrainian government to pull out from four regions that are currently under partial occupation by Russia. These regions include Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia.
Moreover, he stated that in order for the Russian advancement to cease, Ukraine must formally abandon its attempts to be part of the Nato military alliance.
According to Mr Putin, if Kyiv announces that they are prepared for it, then a directive for stopping the gunfire and commencing talks will be given by his side quickly, maybe even instantly.
The suggestion made was referred to as a "fake" and "ridiculous" by Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to the Ukrainian President, which goes against all logical reasoning.
The foreign ministry of the nation stated that it is ridiculous for Putin to portray himself as a mediator when he was the one who orchestrated the biggest military conflict in Europe since the Second World War with the help of his fellow conspirators.
The proposal was turned down by Jens Stoltenberg, the Secretary-General of NATO, due to the fact that it was not presented with genuine intentions.
The upcoming summit happening near Lake Lucerne in Switzerland is where Mr. Zelensky is expected to be present. He aims to demonstrate that international support remains strong for him.
The summit's objective, as stated by the Swiss government, is to organize a gathering for global leaders to converse about feasible strategies towards achieving a fair and sustainable peace settlement in Ukraine. The plan of action must strictly comply with international laws and conform to the regulations set forth in the UN Charter.
Additional guests joining the event will encompass United States Vice President Kamala Harris, France's President Emmanuel Macron, Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.
Russia did not receive an invitation, and China expressed that it will not participate unless Russia is present.
The peace summit is happening following the agreement of G7 leaders to utilize the interest gained from Russian assets that are frozen to aid Ukraine in combatting the intrusion brought about by the Russian forces.
In February 2022, G7 countries, along with the EU, froze assets valued at around £256bn ($325bn) in response to Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine. These assets are currently earning approximately $3bn in interest per year.
According to the G7 strategy, a sum of $3 billion shall be utilized to compensate the yearly interest on a $50 billion loan that the Ukrainian people obtained from the global financial markets.
The cash is not anticipated to come until the final months of the year. Nonetheless, it is viewed as a lasting remedy for aiding Ukraine's battles in the war and booming the economy.
During the G7 summit, the USA and Ukraine signed a mutual security agreement that has been praised by Kyiv as "groundbreaking".
