Withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the partially occupied regions of Donetsk and Lugansk (east) and by those of Zaporozhya and Kherson (south) before “the implementation of a ceased for 30 days”. Recognition of the four territories and Crimea as Russians, neutrality and no adhesion to NATO. Then still abolition of martial law and new elections before signing a final peace treaty. Those requested by Russia for the end of the invasion of Ukraine are very hard, conditions that in fact are comparable to a total yield.
The Memorandum
The conditions are contained in a memorandum delivered to Istanbul where a new round of interviews between Moscow and Kiev was held, the second since March 2022, which lasted just an hour and has not led no step forward on a ceased, but only to a new exchange of prisoners.
The Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, head of the Kiev delegation, confirmed that he received the Russian document, adding that he will be examined, but without immediate comments. However, the minister reiterated that “only a direct meeting between Zelensky and Putin can resolve the numerous still open knots”.
No Russian opening
The Russian text, published by the Interfax agency, reiterates that an agreement would require the international recognition of Crimea, annexed in 2014, and the four other Ukrainian regions occupy as territories of the Russian Federation, from which Kiev should withdraw his troops.
In addition, Moscow asks that Ukraine will become “a neutral state”, excluding adhesion to NATO, and that “Russian rights” are guaranteed, making the Russian official language and introducing “a legal ban on glorification of Nazism”.
Cease-fire
Two options proposed by Russia for a ceased fire, both judged impracticable by Kiev. The one one, according to the text, provided that Ukraine begin complete military retreat from the regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzia and Kerson. Of these, Russia completely controls the first but only holds about 70 percent of the others.
The two option is a package that requires Ukraine to cease military rediscovery and to accept the interruption of the supply abroad of military aid, satellite communications and intelligence. Kiev should also revoke martial law and indirect presidential and parliamentary elections within 100 days. “We also proposed the specific fire of two or three days in some sections of the front to recover the bodies of the fallen soldiers,” added the Russian chief delegation Vladimir Medinsky.
The other requests
Among other requests for lasting peace are the ban on glorification and propaganda of Nazism and neonazism, and the dissolution of nationalist formations. Then the revocation of all restrictions on the Orthodox Church and an amnesty for the political prisoners and release of the Russian military and civilians.
And again the ban on reception, transit and deployment of nuclear weapons in Ukraine, its neutrality, and a contingent of its armed forces, weapons and military equipment. In addition, revocation of all Ukrainian penalties against Russia and Russian against Ukraine, and prohibition to impose new ones, renounces mutual claims of war damage, cessation of mobilization and the beginning of demobilization in Ukraine. Finally, we speak of gradual restoration of the diplomatic and economic relationships between the two countries, including the transit of gas.
