Kremlin lays out conditions for peace agreement with Ukraine
- 8 December, 14:23
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Sunday said Russia war open to peace talks with Ukraine after US president-elect Donald Trump urged the two countries to engage in negotiations for reaching an immediate cease-fire.
Peskov said the negotiations had to be based on current battlefield realities and Istanbul agreement 2022.
"Our position on Ukraine is well known. The conditions for an immediate stop of hostilities were set out by President Putin in his speech to the Russian Foreign Ministry in June of this year. It is important to recall that it was Ukraine that refused and continues to refuse negotiations," Peskov said.
The Kremlin spokesman explained that in order to proceed with the peace talks, Ukraine will have to revoke special decree banning any contacts with the Russian leadership.
The Istanbul agreement mentioned by Peskov stipulates that Ukraine ends its plans to eventually join NATO, has limits placed on its military, and also obliges Western countries to help Ukraine in case of aggression against it.
It should be noted that Chairwoman of the Russian Federation Council Valentina Matvienko stated last week that a new effort will be made to start negotiations to resolve the conflict in Ukraine in 2025 after inauguration of Donald Trump who has repeatedly voiced support for a speedy resolution of Russian-Ukrainian conflict.
