'Ready for negotiations if ...': Putin's conditions for peace talks with Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday outlined what he claimed to be Russia's pre-conditions for initiating peace negotiations with Ukraine.

Speaking ahead of Ukraine peace summit, the purpose of his army's advance towards Kyiv in 2022 was to compel Ukraine to accept a peace agreement, and there was no plan to storm the capital.

However, Ukraine and Western nations assert that Russia intended to seize Kyiv and install pro-Russian leaders but was repelled by strong resistance.

Putin stated that Russia is ready for talks "tomorrow" if Ukrainian forces withdrew forces from the Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Donetsk, and Luhansk regions and if Ukraine abandoned its aspirations to join Nato.

He made these remarks on the eve of a summit in Switzerland where over 90 countries and organizations are expected to discuss a potential path to peace in Ukraine. Russia has not been invited and considers the gathering to be a waste of time.

The Russian leader emphasized that his proposal aims for a "final resolution" of the conflict in Ukraine rather than "freezing it," and stressed that the Kremlin is "ready to start negotiations without delay."

Putin's broader demands for peace included Ukraine's non-nuclear status, limitations on its military force, and the protection of the interests of the Russian-speaking population in the country. He stated that if Ukraine agreed to these conditions, Russia would cease fire and begin negotiations.

Currently, Russia controls nearly a fifth of Ukrainian territory in the third year of the war. Ukraine maintains that peace can only be achieved through a complete withdrawal of Russian forces and the restoration of its territorial integrity.