Ukraine demands Russia to cease fire, pay compensation, and return children: main conditions.

Before negotiations in Alaska, which will take place on Friday, August 15, between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukraine clearly outlines its main demands. Kyiv wants a lasting ceasefire, real security guarantees, hundreds of billions of dollars in compensation from Russia, and the return of abducted children and prisoners of war. This is stated in an article by Politico.

What conditions does Ukraine set for Russia to end the war

Ceasefire and guarantees

Ukraine will demand that Russia cease fire. They want any discussions on territorial issues to occur only after Russia agrees to a ceasefire and adheres to it.

Compensations and sanctions

Ukraine insists that Moscow pay about 500 billion euros for the damage caused. Significant assets of the Russian Federation are under the control of European allies, including nearly 200 billion euros in Belgium.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that access to these funds for Russia should only be unlocked after damages are compensated. Kyiv and its partners warn that lifting sanctions and resuming trade would allow the Kremlin to regroup for new aggression.

Security guarantees

In terms of security, Kyiv sees NATO and EU membership as the only reliable long-term protection. President Volodymyr Zelensky states that he has not yet heard concrete proposals that would guarantee the avoidance of a new war. Meanwhile, Trump opposes Ukraine's membership in the Alliance, while Moscow demands its official exclusion.

Additionally, some EU countries fear the economic consequences of integrating a large agrarian state and effectively slow down this process. Kyiv also rejects the demand to reduce its 900,000-strong army, while military supplies and funding from European partners remain the main security guarantees. During the war, the EU has provided aid amounting to 73.9 billion euros, while the US provided 64 billion, with American support under Trump not increasing.

Return of children and prisoners

The issue of abducted children and prisoners of war also remains crucial. Russia has illegally transported about 20,000 Ukrainian children, of whom only 1,453 have been returned, mostly thanks to mediation from Qatar. The Kremlin portrays this as an evacuation from dangerous zones but places children in Russian families and raises them under propaganda conditions. The situation is complicated by Trump’s administration decision to disband a Yale University group that was helping to search for the abducted.

It is noteworthy that the International Criminal Court in 2023 issued an arrest warrant for Putin for the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children. The exchange of prisoners is progressing somewhat more successfully — through Trump’s mediation, over 2,000 people have been freed, but thousands remain imprisoned without access to international missions.

Military and economic pressure

Kyiv and its allies aim to maintain sanctions pressure, emphasizing that the war has already cost Russia more than 1 million military losses and about 2 trillion dollars — nearly an annual GDP. They warn that lifting sanctions and resuming trade would give the Kremlin time for a new offensive.

Previously, Volodymyr Zelensky reacted to Russia's demand to withdraw Ukrainian troops from the Donbas.

Additionally, Russia demands for ending the war conditions that contradict the current Constitution of Ukraine, such as territorial concessions and even amending the Constitution.

Meanwhile, Western media believe that the meeting between Putin and Trump in Alaska will be unproductive. It is said that the US leader is going unprepared.

It is notable that the meeting in Alaska regarding the war in Ukraine will take place without Ukraine — the Kremlin has categorically opposed the proposal to invite Volodymyr Zelensky to the summit.

The issue of peace in Ukraine remains relevant, and Kyiv's demands towards Russia clearly define the path to resolving the conflict. Ukraine insists on a ceasefire, compensation for damages, security guarantees, and the return of abducted children and prisoners of war, placing a strong emphasis on coordinated actions from Russia.