Russia's initial ceasefire terms: A challenging proposition

At the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Moscow presented demands to Kyiv that included the near-total disarmament of the country and the relinquishment of Crimea and Donbas. This information was disclosed by the Radio Liberty portal, which accessed documents detailing the initial ceasefire conditions.

According to Radio Liberty's "System" project, Russia wanted Ukraine to become a state with limited sovereignty as a result of capitulation.

During the third round of negotiations in Belarus on March 7, 2022, Russia presented its demands to the Ukrainian authorities. The document, whose authenticity was confirmed by both Ukrainian and Russian sources, included a demand for the recognition of the independence of the self-proclaimed republics in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions and the reduction of the Ukrainian army to 50,000 soldiers, including only 1,500 officers.

Russia also demanded the lifting of sanctions imposed on it after 2014 and the withdrawal of international legal proceedings. Ukraine was additionally required to recognize Russian as a state language and lift the ban on Soviet symbols.

In return, Russia offered only a ceasefire without mentioning the withdrawal of its troops from Ukraine. During negotiations in Istanbul in April 2022, Moscow's demands were already milder, and Ukraine attempted to include security guarantees in the discussions. Despite this, the parties did not reach an agreement and have not engaged in peace negotiations since then.

According to the "Financial Times," at the end of October 2024, the conflicting parties discussed ending attacks on energy facilities. Currently, contacts between the Ukrainian and Russian authorities are limited to the exchange of prisoners, kidnapped children, and the grain agreement.