Russia is ready to stop hostilities and begin negotiations as soon as Ukraine announces the withdrawal of troops from the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, Kherson and Zaporozhye Oblasts and its refusal to join NATO, Russian President Vladimir Putin said. Interfax reports.
«We are ready to sit down at the negotiating table even tomorrow, there is someone there to negotiate with. Our conditions for starting such negotiations are simple and boil down to the following: Ukrainian troops must be completely withdrawn from the Donetsk, Lugansk People’s Republics, Kherson and Zaporozhye Oblasts,» Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with the leadership of the Russian Foreign Ministry.
He noted that troops must be withdrawn «from the entire territory of these regions, within their administrative boundaries that existed at the time when they were a part of Ukraine.»
«As soon as Kiev declares that it is ready for such a decision and begins a real withdrawal of troops from these regions, and also officially notifies of the abandonment of plans to join NATO, our side will immediately, literally at the same minute, order a ceasefire and start negotiations,» the Russian President emphasized.
Ukraine’s reaction to the Russian President’s statement
Ukraine dismissed ceasefire conditions announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday as «absurd».
Advisor to the head of the office of the President of Ukraine, Mykhaylo Podolyak, said that under the conditions for the cessation of hostilities proposed by the Russian President «there are no real peace proposals,» but «there is a desire not to pay» for the conflict and «to continue it in new formats.»
Mykhaylo Podolyak added that the non-aligned status proposed by the Russian president would make Ukraine defenseless.
NATO response
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said he did not consider the condition voiced by Vladimir Putin for the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Russia’s new regions as peaceful.
«This proposal will mean that Russia will be able to achieve its military goals, since the Ukrainians will have to give up more territory than Russia already occupies,» Jens Stoltenberg said at a press conference after a meeting of NATO Defense Ministers.
He noted that the alliance countries would continue to provide military support to Ukraine.
