Kremlin Demands Ukraine Pull Back from Donbas as Ceasefire Condition, Zelensky Highlights Remaining Issues

· novinite.com

The Kremlin has made clear that its prerequisite for a halt in hostilities is Ukraine’s full withdrawal of armed forces from Donbas. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov clarified that the “responsible” decision referenced by Vladimir Putin’s aide, Yuri Ushakov, entails a complete pullback of Ukrainian troops beyond the administrative boundaries of the Donbas region. When asked whether this condition applies also to Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, Peskov declined to provide further details, stating that Russia will not publicly discuss specific provisions, emphasizing that Moscow’s aim is to conclude the military conflict while achieving its strategic objectives.

President Volodymyr Zelensky indicated that discussions with US President Donald Trump on a 20-point “peace plan” left unresolved only two items: the status of Ukrainian territories and the operation of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Speaking during an online press briefing on his return to Europe, Zelensky noted that other elements of the plan, including US security guarantees, joint US-EU guarantees, and the military dimension of these guarantees, have largely been agreed. He described the plan as “90% ready” due to these remaining points.

The Ukrainian leader also highlighted an economic framework for post-war reconstruction and development drawn up with US support, which aims to mobilize between USD700 billion and USD800 billion.

Zelensky stressed that the presence of an international military contingent on Ukrainian territory would provide a genuine security guarantee. He said such forces would reinforce existing assurances from international partners and bolster confidence among civilians, the military, domestic and international businesses, and investors that Russia would not resume aggression.

Addressing the possibility of a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Zelensky said he is open to negotiations in any format, provided that Putin’s words are backed by actions. He described the messages relayed by Trump from Putin as inconsistent, highlighting Russia’s ongoing missile strikes and orders targeting Ukrainian infrastructure despite public statements of a desire for peace. Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine is prepared to engage in direct talks, with the main criterion being that Russian actions align with its purported peace-oriented rhetoric.

The US-Ukraine dialogue, conducted in late December with Trump and followed by a video conference with European leaders, confirmed that while progress has been made on most elements of the peace plan, the issues of territorial control and nuclear facility management remain the key sticking points. Ukraine continues to advocate for concrete international security measures and is ready for direct negotiations with Moscow.

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