After Ukraine previously rejected the proposal or conditions put forth by Russian President Vladimir Putin to halt the ongoing war since February 2022, Russian intelligence has intervened. Intelligence chief Sergei Naryshkin warned that if Putin's proposal is rejected, the alternative options will be much more difficult.
Naryshkin, a close ally of Putin, stated on Monday that the alternative proposals will indeed be significantly tougher, as reported by the TASS news agency. However, he did not specify which party he meant to suggest would reject the request, obviously alluding to Kyiv.
In a forceful speech last Friday, Putin laid out his conditions for a ceasefire and negotiations with Kyiv, demanding the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhia, in eastern and southern Ukraine, after his forces had taken control of parts of these areas. He also stipulated that Ukrainian authorities renounce their ambitions and efforts to join NATO in order to commence negotiations.
However, Zelensky considered these conditions a clear surrender, not peace or negotiation, and he insisted on restoring his country's sovereignty over its territories. Meanwhile, the Switzerland summit, which took place over the past two days regarding Ukraine, called in its final statement yesterday for the need to involve all parties in any future discussions about peace.
