Putin Proposes Immediate Cease-Fire Amid Stalemate in Ukraine Conflict

Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed an immediate cease-fire in Ukraine if Kyiv withdraws from annexed regions and renounces joining NATO. Kyiv demands Russia withdraw entirely from its territory. The proposal comes as global leaders seek peace solutions, yet major sticking points remain unresolved.

Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged on Friday to "immediately" order a cease-fire in Ukraine and initiate peace negotiations, provided Kyiv withdraws its troops from four regions annexed by Moscow in 2022 and renounces plans to join NATO.

Kyiv rebuffed this offer, emphasizing its intention to join the military alliance and insisting on Russia's withdrawal from all Ukrainian territories. There was no immediate response from Ukrainian authorities regarding Putin's proposal. Speaking at the Russian Foreign Ministry in Moscow, Putin asserted, "We will do it immediately."

These remarks emerged as leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) gathered in Italy, and Switzerland prepared to host a global summit aimed at mapping out initial steps toward peace in Ukraine. This week, the US and Ukraine signed a 10-year security agreement, celebrating it as a significant milestone in their bilateral relations.

Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, battles have centered mainly in the south and east. Despite Russia's illegal annexation of regions in these areas, it lacks full control over them.

According to Putin, his proposition targets a "final resolution" rather than merely "freezing" the conflict. He underscored the Kremlin's readiness to begin negotiations immediately. Additional demands from Putin include Ukraine's non-nuclear status, military force restrictions, and protection for the Russian-speaking population. Putin insisted these conditions should be enshrined in international agreements, along with the lifting of all Western sanctions against Russia. "We're urging to turn this tragic page of history and to begin restoring, step-by-step, restore the unity between Russia and Ukraine and in Europe in general," he said.

Putin's comments mark a rare, detailed articulation of his terms for ending the war but without any novel concessions. The Kremlin's stance remains that Kyiv should acknowledge its territorial losses and abandon its NATO aspirations. Notably, Russia doesn't fully control any of the annexed regions, but Putin demanded Kyiv's complete withdrawal from them. In regions like Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, Russia still struggles with full control, having lost major cities to Ukrainian forces. If the "Kyiv and Western capitals" reject his terms, Putin claimed, "it is their business, their political and moral responsibility for continuing the bloodshed."

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