Bloomberg reports what Putin will demand from Ukraine in negotiations with Trump.
With reference to sources familiar with the situation, Bloomberg reports that Russia plans to impose strict conditions on Ukraine in possible negotiations with Donald Trump. It wants Ukraine to cut ties with NATO and become a neutral state with limited armed forces. The Kremlin also wants to maintain control over 20% of Ukraine's territory, including Crimea.
Ukrainian officials claim that negotiations are currently only being conducted regarding the exchange of prisoners and the return of children deported from Russia. However, Russian entrepreneur and Kremlin ally Konstantin Malofeev demands that Ukraine become neutral and not join NATO or the USA, as well as reduce the size of its army.
According to Bloomberg, Russia's minimum demands include Ukraine's neutral status, a halt to NATO expansion, and restrictions on the size of the Ukrainian armed forces. However, these conditions are likely to be unacceptable to the Ukrainian leadership amid the ongoing conflict.
According to reports from the American think tank Yorktown Institute, peace talks could begin before Easter. The US President offers a ceasefire to President Zelensky, while the US representative for Ukraine seeks a positive assessment of new arms packages. Additionally, Putin has stated that Slovakia is ready to provide a platform for negotiations and aims to end the conflict.
It is important to note that surveys show that about 40% of Ukrainians consider victory as a return to the 1991 borders, while they categorically reject the exchange of territories.
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