Putin states Russian conditions for Ukraine peace talks

MOSCOW: President Vladimir Putin announced on Friday that Russia would agree to a ceasefire and enter peace talks if Ukraine abandoned its NATO aspirations and withdrew its forces from four Ukrainian regions claimed by Moscow.

Putin stated that Russia was prepared to ensure the safe withdrawal of Ukrainian units to facilitate this process.

He made these remarks ahead of a summit in Switzerland, where representatives from over 90 countries and organizations are set to discuss a potential path to peace in Ukraine. Russia has not been invited and has dismissed the summit as a waste of time.

As the war enters its third year, Russia controls nearly a fifth of Ukrainian territory. Ukraine maintains that peace can only be achieved through the complete withdrawal of Russian forces and the restoration of its territorial integrity.

In addition, President Putin condemned the West’s seizure of Russian sovereign assets, calling it theft and warning that it would not go unpunished. Speaking at a meeting with Foreign Ministry officials, he emphasized that the West’s treatment of Moscow demonstrated that “anyone” could be subjected to a similar asset freeze.

Putin's comments came a day after the leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) major democracies agreed on a preliminary deal to provide $50 billion in loans to Ukraine, using interest from Russian sovereign assets frozen following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, which Moscow described as a special military operation.