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Sunday, 22 December
politics

Putin suddenly proposed his 'peace plan': with a bunch of ultimatums

Vladimir Putin announced the conditions for ending hostilities in Ukraine.

His speech was broadcast by Russia 24 TV channel.

Putin said that Ukrainian troops must be completely withdrawn from the territories of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions within the administrative borders. In addition, Ukraine must declare its refusal to join NATO.

If these conditions are met, Russia will immediately cease fire, Putin said.

"Please note that it is from the entire territory of these regions within their administrative borders, which existed at the time of their accession to Ukraine. As soon as Kyiv declares that it is ready for such a decision and begins the actual withdrawal of troops from these regions, as well as officially announces the abandonment of plans to join NATO, we will immediately, literally at the same minute, order a ceasefire and start negotiations. I repeat, we will do this immediately," Putin said.

According to him, the point of the Russian proposal "is not a temporary truce". It is not about freezing the conflict, but about its "final end," the Russian president added.

Putin also mentioned Ukraine's neutral and non-nuclear status and the lifting of sanctions against Russia as additional conditions for a peaceful settlement.

"We believe that such a decision (on the withdrawal of troops, Non-Aligned status, and the beginning of a dialogue with Russia), on which the future existence of Ukraine depends, should be made by Kyiv independently, based on the true national interests of the Ukrainian people. And not at the behest of the West. Although there are great doubts about this," Putin said.

He added that today Moscow is making "another concrete, real peace proposal."

"If Kyiv and the Western capitals refuse it, it is their business, their political and moral responsibility for the continuation of the bloodshed," he concluded.

Putin's proposal came a day before the start of the Peace Summit organized by Ukraine, which will take place on June 15-16 in Switzerland.

According to the Ukrainian service of Radio Liberty, 78 countries and organizations will attend the meeting. China, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, and several other countries have refused to participate in the summit, and Russia has not been invited.

According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the participants will discuss, among other things, the exchange of prisoners of war under the "all for all" formula, as well as nuclear and food security issues.

Earlier, Apostrophe reported that Russia launched a night attack on Ukraine.