The Ukrainian conflict is nearing its end. This was stated by Russian President Vladimir Putin during a press conference on May 9.
He noted that the Russian and Ukrainian delegations reached an agreement in Istanbul in 2022 and the agreement was initialed. However, after that, French President Emmanuel Macron called Putin and said that Ukraine cannot sign such historical documents “with a gun pointed at its head“.
The politician said that Russia should withdraw its troops from Kiev, to which Moscow agreed. Then Boris Johnson, the then British Prime Minister, said that the agreement with Russia could not be signed because it was unfair.
“Who determines whether it is fair or unfair if a representative of the Ukrainian side initials these documents? What is unfair here and who determines this? They promised assistance to Ukraine and began to escalate the confrontation with Russia, which continues to this day. I think the matter is nearing its end, but it is still serious“, the president said.
Vladimir Putin has repeatedly stated that Russia wants to end the conflict in Ukraine peacefully, provided that the root causes of the war are eliminated.
In the summer of 2024, the president also stated that the Ukrainian armed forces should be completely withdrawn from the territories of Donbas, Zaporizhia and Kherson regions. These regions, as well as Crimea and Sevastopol, must be recognized as part of Russia in international treaties.
The other conditions are a neutral, non-aligned, and non-nuclear status for Ukraine; demilitarization and denazification of the country; and the lifting of all Western sanctions against Russia.