Putin
Russia Insists on Ukraine’s Neutrality, NATO Exclusion in Peace Talks
Russia has reaffirmed its demand that Ukraine adopt a neutral status and be permanently barred from joining NATO as key conditions for any potential peace agreement. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko emphasized that Moscow will insist on “ironclad security guarantees” in negotiations aimed at ending the three-year conflict.
“We will demand that ironclad security guarantees become part of this agreement,” Grushko told the Russian media outlet *Izvestia*. “Part of these guarantees should be the neutral status of Ukraine, the refusal of NATO countries to accept it into the alliance.”
Diplomatic efforts to broker a ceasefire are ongoing, with US President Donald Trump scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday. Speaking aboard *Air Force One* on Sunday evening, Trump said, “A lot of work’s been done over the weekend. We want to see if we can bring that war to an end.”
When questioned about potential concessions, Trump revealed that discussions would address territorial disputes and energy infrastructure. “We will be talking about land. We will be talking about power plants,” he stated, adding that negotiations have already touched on “dividing up certain assets” between Russia and Ukraine.
The US and Ukraine have jointly proposed a 30-day ceasefire, but Putin has set strict conditions for any agreement. A major sticking point remains Russia’s western Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces launched an incursion last August. While Putin claims that Russian troops have fully regained control of the area and isolated Ukrainian forces, concerns persist over monitoring and enforcing a ceasefire along the contested eastern frontline.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Putin of attempting to derail diplomatic efforts, alleging that Russia is deliberately “sabotaging” negotiations. Further complicating matters, US envoy Steve Witkoff declined to clarify how Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories would be addressed in a potential peace deal. Russia currently controls approximately 20% of Ukraine.
Trump has consistently vowed to end the war swiftly, having pledged during his campaign to secure peace “on day one” of his presidency. Less than a month into his term, he held a 90-minute call with Putin to initiate negotiations.
As talks continue, the path to a ceasefire remains uncertain, with deep divisions over territorial claims, Ukraine’s sovereignty, and NATO’s role in shaping the region’s future.
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