Ukraine's Ultimatums: Key Demands for Peace With Putin Unveiled

Ukraine has outlined a set of non-negotiable conditions as the The U.S. attempts to negotiate a truce. deal with Russia , The Independent understands.

Following three years of conflict, everyone is anticipating whether the situation will change. 30-day plan accepted by Volodymyr Zelensky On Tuesday will discover shared territory with Vladimir Putin.

Senior Ukrainian officials who have been updated on the continuing negotiations are expressing skepticism about Russia’s willingness to agree to a fair arrangement, stating: "We anticipate some form of deception."

Despite Donald Trump describing "constructive and fruitful" discussions with Russia on Friday Putin has faced accusations of employing delay strategies by introducing "nuances" and additional inquiries, along with proposing that Ukraine would not be allowed to rearm, mobilize, or obtain Western military assistance during the ceasefire.

However, Ukraine is known to have specific priorities for negotiations should the conflict cease. These consist of:

• No additional territories will be conceded, even though Putin wishes to annex the four Ukrainian regions that have been partly controlled by the Russian forces since 2014.
• The comeback of thousands of Ukrainians children abducted by Russia
• The return of thousands of civilians wrongfully detained by Russia , who aren't regarded as Prisoners of War And therefore would not be part of Proof-of-Work (PoW) exchanges.
• An requirement for global security assurances, should Putin violate any ceasefire deal

Ukrainian authorities fear that Russia’s delays may be just another "ploy on their part."

We genuinely wish to achieve peace, however, we seek one that endures for a long time rather than something fleeting. ceasefire We do not desire our children "Engaging in this fight," stated the high-ranking source, who must remain unnamed since speaking to the press is prohibited for them.

“Putin is playing games. We have made a strong move – now it is his turn.

We have demonstrated our reasonableness; we are open to peace talks – should Russia refuse, the global community will recognize them as deceitful.

A major source of disagreement revolves around the repatriation of tens of thousands of children that Ukraine claims have been taken away by Russia with the intention of erasing the nation's identity.

Kyiv asserts that it has knowledge of at least 20,000 children who have been relocated to Russia or territories under Russian control Without obtaining permission from their families or legal guardians since the conflict started, labeling these kidnappings as war crimes that align with the UN treaty's criteria for genocide.

Another concern is Putin’s insistence that Ukraine must relinquish all of Kherson as part of any agreement. Zaporizhzhia , Donetsk and Luhansk, where significant areas have been under partial control of the Russian military since 2014.

Following the complete 2022 invasion, Moscow " annexed" these territories through referendums conducted in the seized zones. These votes were largely rejected by the global community as unlawful and forced.

The U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio mentioned that discussions with Ukraine this week included mentions of potential territorial adjustments, and he has also stated before that Kiev should be prepared to cede territory.

Ukrainian officials told The Independent They have accepted the present stalemate where battle lines are fixed, with Russia maintaining control over certain areas for now as part of a truce agreement. However, giving up any further territories would be an unacceptable condition.

It isn’t reasonable to ask, for instance, Zaporizhzhia or Kherson to be completely surrendered — that comes across as telling us to get lost.

They stated that the future of these territories controlled by Russia following the invasion in February 2022 has yet to be determined.

We will make every effort to reclaim it through diplomatic means.

During his press briefing on Thursday, Putin stated that Russia backed the notion of a truce, provided that it would pave the way for enduring peace and address the fundamental issues driving the dispute.

He additionally mentioned several "subtleties," particularly regarding Kursk, where a ceasefire would be highly advantageous for Ukraine.

The Kremlin later said Putin was “cautiously optimistic” after holding late-night talks in Moscow with Steve Witkoff, Trump’s envoy, on the US proposal.

Mykhailo Podolyak, a senior advisor to President Zelensky, mirrored this mistrust of Putin, stating that his comments appeared to be "a clear wish to keep the conflict going."

He indicated that it essentially compelled Ukraine to "surrender its arms, military forces, ability to mobilize, and supply of equipment, and merely quietly observe as [the Russians] persistently 'peacefully' attack across the whole frontline..."

President Zelensky stated on Friday that although he believed there was a strong possibility of concluding the war with Russia, he worried Putin might attempt to prolong the ceasefire negotiations indefinitely. He called upon the U.S. and Ukraine’s other international partners to exert additional pressure on Russia.

On Friday, the G7 countries, which include the UK, issued a warning to Moscow, urging them to agree to the US-backed 30-day truce proposed for Kyiv, as stated in a preliminary document. Failure to comply could result in additional economic penalties.

President Trump once more urged Russia to agree to and finalize a "ceasefire and ultimate accord," stating on his personal social media platform on Friday that he planned to withdraw the U.S. from what he described as a genuine "'mess' with Russia."

In Ukraine, there are significant worries regarding how a ceasefire and frozen frontlines might affect tens of thousands of Ukrainian children. They fear these kids may either be forcefully moved to Russia or end up in occupied regions since the start of the full-scale invasion.

A major requirement for the agreement is the return of these children and an end to " Russification" measures, which include mandatory passport acquisition and re-education facilities.

This week, the UK Ministry of Defence reported that Russia has distributed 3.5 million passports to Ukrainians residing in territories that are illegally occupied by Russia. exposing them to the danger of being drafted into its military forces.

"While Ukraine battles for its existence, Russia is amassing its forces not only with soldiers but also with abducted children," stated Mykola Kuleba from Save Ukraine, group that has successfully found and recovered more than 600 kids Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, including three teenagers in the past week.

During the last 11 years, approximately 1.6 million Ukrainian children found themselves living under Russian-controlled areas. A significant number of these children were abducted and relocated to Russia. There, they undergo education in newly established institutions where their Ukrainian cultural identities are suppressed, and their thoughts are poisoned against us—the Western world, the U.S., and our partners.

Civil society in Ukraine is likewise worried about Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians detained in Russian correctional facilities.

The Center for Civil Liberties, honored with the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022 for their efforts, stated that following the full-scale invasion, they have documented at least 8,000 civilians held in 70 separate detention facilities within both the occupied regions and inside Russia itself.

The unconditional release of civilians must be included as part of this agreement," stated Vyacheslav Likhachev from the center, emphasizing that the ceasefire represents one of the few opportunities to recover those who have been detained.

For over three years, nothing has proven truly effective in compelling Russia to free hostages or adhere to international humanitarian laws. Sanctions must not be eased until these individuals are released.

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