Putin demanded written guarantees of an end to NATO's eastward expansion and the lifting of some sanctions on Russia as part of a peace agreement

His demands also include “protection of the Russian-speaking population in Ukraine”

Russian President Vladimir Putin has put forward conditions for ending the war in Ukraine, Reuters writes, citing sources familiar with the progress of the negotiations. They include a demand for Western leaders to give written guarantees of an end to NATO's eastward expansion and the lifting of some sanctions on Russia.

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Putin also demanded to ensure “protection of the Russian-speaking population in Ukraine”

After a phone call with Trump last week, Putin said he was ready to work on a memorandum leading to a peace agreement. Sources told Reuters that “Putin is ready for peace, but not on any terms.” Thus, the part about NATO’s non-expansion to the east actually means a formal refusal to accept Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova and other former Soviet republics into the alliance.

In addition, Russia also wants Ukraine to “maintain neutrality,” some Western sanctions to be lifted, the issue of frozen Russian assets in the West to be resolved, and “the protection of the Russian-speaking population in Ukraine to be ensured.”

According to one of the Reuters interlocutors, if Putin realizes that he cannot achieve peace on his own terms, he will seek to show Ukrainians and Europeans through military victories that “tomorrow’s peace will be even more painful.”

The news agency's sources also note that if a tactical opportunity arises on the battlefield, Putin will go even deeper into Ukraine: the Kremlin is confident that Russia can fight for years, despite sanctions and economic difficulties. Another source said Putin has become less willing to make territorial compromises and continues to insist that Russia must fully control the four regions it claims in eastern Ukraine.

According to Putin's press secretary Dmitry Peskov, work on the memorandum is at the final stage. On May 27, at a meeting with journalists, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, commenting on reports about its preparation by Russia, said: “We honor their proposals and will respond accurately. All. Nothing to add."

Ukraine and the United States propose to hold a trilateral meeting

Zelensky said that Russian representatives said that they would give Ukraine “something called a memorandum” during the negotiations in Istanbul. At the time of publication of this news, the location of the next round of negotiations has not yet been announced.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump's special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, said that the heads of Russia, Ukraine and the United States could meet in Geneva.

“We would like to hold it in the Vatican, but the Russians did not want to go there. So Geneva could be the next stop where all three leaders—President [Trump], President Putin, President Zelensky—meet to agree on a document and end the war,” Kellogg said.

Zelensky also proposed holding a trilateral meeting with the presidents of Russia and the United States. In a conversation with journalists, he clarified that Ukraine is ready for different formats of negotiations.

“We are ready for the “Trump-Putin-me” format, and we are ready for the “Trump-Putin”, “Trump-Zelensky” format and then the three of us. I mean at the same time, not that these are scattered meetings,” Zelensky said.

At the same time, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the date for a new round of negotiations between the countries would be announced in the “very near future.” Previously, it was he who rejected the idea of ​​holding negotiations in the Vatican, and also stated that Switzerland could not be a place for the meeting, since it had ceased to be a neutral country.

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