War

One thousand and thirtieth day. Putin says he is ready to negotiate “without preconditions” and immediately puts forward conditions. Zelensky discusses with the EU the issue of sending peacekeepers to Ukraine

Since February 24, 2022, Meduza has been broadcasting live about the Russian-Ukrainian war. Our chronicle is published once a day, and in it we dwell in detail on several key stories that are affecting the course of the war right now. We also publish your letters in these materials, because we are sure that we need to continue talking about the war. Please share your personal war stories with us. Find the feedback form at the end of this article. You can read the previous day's review here .

Russia

Putin drew a straight line - and repeated all his old demands for peace negotiations

Russian President Vladimir Putin held a direct line on the afternoon of December 19, during which he answered questions from journalists and viewers for more than four hours.

Speaking about the war in Ukraine, Putin said that he was ready for dialogue “without preconditions,” after which he immediately named two conditions: negotiations should take place “on the basis of what we agreed on during the negotiation process in Istanbul at the end of 2022,” and also “based on the realities that are developing on earth today.”

Putin also repeated the thesis of Russian propaganda about the illegitimacy of Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky. He said that Moscow is ready to conduct an interim dialogue with him, but will sign legally binding agreements only with the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefanchuk - since, according to Putin, only the Ukrainian parliament remains the legitimate authority in Kyiv after the expiration of Zelensky’s five-year term.

Putin also said that he is ready to meet with US President Donald Trump in the near future.

The last time Putin publicly expressed his demands on Ukraine was in the summer of 2024. Then he demanded the complete withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the territory of four regions annexed by Russia, Kyiv’s refusal to join NATO and the lifting of anti-Russian sanctions by the West.

The negotiations in Istanbul, which Putin mentioned, were conducted in the first weeks of the war; by mid-April 2022, the parties had a draft peace treaty ready. In accordance with the agreements, Russia had to withdraw troops from part of the occupied territories, and Ukraine had to abandon the idea of ​​joining NATO in exchange for security provided by a group of guarantor countries. The issue of the status of Donbass and Crimea was supposed to be postponed. Then the agreement was not signed, and by May contacts between the parties ceased. In Russian propaganda, it is generally accepted that the signing of the treaty was thwarted by the then British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who allegedly said : “Let’s just fight.”

World

Zelensky discussed in Brussels the possibility of sending peacekeepers to Ukraine

In Brussels, where the summit of EU leaders is taking place, the idea of ​​placing a European peacekeeping mission in Ukraine was discussed. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, who took part in the consultations, announced this at a press conference on the night of December 19.

Zelensky said that Kiev supports the idea of ​​a peacekeeping mission, as this is “the strengthening of Ukraine.” He said negotiations on this are now "in progress" and he is seeing "positivity from some leaders." At the same time, he refused to comment on the format of the mission, calling it a “sensitive issue.”

The idea of ​​placing a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine has been actively discussed in Europe in recent weeks. This idea is advocated, in particular, by French President Emmanuel Macron, as well as US President-elect Donald Trump. Officially, the participants in such negotiations do not provide any details, noting that it is too early for this.

On December 18, Reuters, citing sources, wrote that as part of the peacekeeping mission, from 40 to 100 thousand troops could be deployed on the contact line. There will be no Americans among them; the core of the mission will be military personnel from Germany, Italy, Great Britain, France and Poland.

Russia has not yet officially spoken out against the international mission as such. Press Secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov only stated that it was “premature” to talk about this, since the parties must first begin negotiations.

War through the eyes of Meduza readers

Ivan (name changed). I am a man with shame in my soul and a target on my back. I am an employee of the Russian defense industry, an engineer with a second form of clearance. I develop radio receivers, I have been doing this since pre-Covid times. My receivers do not kill people, but they are made for the army, and now they are being used to kill and destroy Ukrainian cities to transmit inhumane orders. Before the war started, I was even a little proud of my work. This is interesting, intellectually challenging work that not everyone can do, and which is necessary to protect the country, my loved ones and myself. I always hated Putin, I took part in every protest I could go to. However, with my diploma I came to a defense enterprise. I reassured myself that there is Putin and his gang, and there is the defense of the Motherland, the defense of people’s lives, health and way of life. Well, you also need money.

However, as of February 24, 2022, I understand that I am now an accomplice to a grandiose crime. There were thoughts of quitting, but what would happen to the country’s economy, where should I continue to work? After all, I am restricted from traveling abroad and will remain so for several more years; I am more dependent than others on the Russian economy. And after mobilization began, resigning became life-threatening. And here I am, warmed up, fed from the hands of the bandits. I don't press the button in Milgram's experiment , but I do give the task sheets to the person being shocked. I think I'll have to answer for this one day. When that day comes, at least I'll know what I'm getting for the job. Then perhaps I will dare to ask for forgiveness.

Why did this section appear?

Meduza talks about the war every day - but we are sure that reports from the front, photographs of destruction, reports of shelling and news about politicians’ attempts to agree on something alone are not enough. The story of the war is incomplete without the stories of the people whose destinies it affected, and without their opinions about what was happening.

Tell us and our readers what you think about the latest events unfolding in and around the war. We will publish some of your letters.

"Jellyfish"