Russia Reaffirms Ukraine Peace Demands Ahead of Trump–Putin Alaska Summit

Russia reiterated that its conditions for ending the war in Ukraine remain unchanged, the Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday. Deputy spokesperson Alexei Fadeev told reporters that the position laid out by President Vladimir Putin on 14 June 2024 still stands, dismissing reports that Moscow might soften its stance before talks with Washington. Putin’s terms include the complete withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson that Kyiv still holds, formal abandonment of Ukraine’s bid to join NATO, and legal recognition of Russian control over territories Moscow has annexed. Russia already occupies about 19% of Ukraine; analysts calculate the demand would require Kyiv to cede a further 21,000 square kilometres. The statement comes two days before Putin meets U.S. President Donald Trump in Anchorage for the first U.S.–Russia summit since 2021. Trump has said both sides will likely need to trade territory to secure a settlement, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy insists any talks must begin with a cease-fire and preserve Ukraine’s 1991 borders, saying he sees “no sign” that Putin is prepared to end the conflict.