Russia has presented a list of demands for ending the war against Ukraine and restoring relations with the United States, according to two sources familiar with the matter who spoke to Reuters.
The Reuters report did not specify the exact demands included in Moscow’s list or whether Russia is willing to negotiate with Ukraine. However, Ukraine has already accepted Washington’s peace proposal.
According to the sources, Russian and U.S. officials have been discussing these conditions privately and virtually over the past three weeks. The conditions are reportedly similar to Russia’s previous demands, which included:
Ukraine not being granted NATO membership.
A commitment that no foreign troops would be stationed in Ukraine.
Recognition of Crimea and four other occupied regions as part of Russia.
Additionally, in recent years, Russia has emphasized another key demand: that the U.S. and NATO address what Russia calls the “root causes” of the war, including NATO’s eastward expansion.
While Ukraine and the U.S. have agreed to a 30-day ceasefire, Russia has not yet responded. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged the U.S. to take strong action against Russia if it does not agree to the temporary ceasefire. Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, he stated, “It will now be clear to everyone whether Russia wants war or peace.”
In response to Zelensky’s remarks, U.S. President Donald Trump warned that if Russia refuses the ceasefire proposal, Washington might impose severe financial sanctions. The White House has announced that Steve Witkoff, the U.S. envoy to the Middle East, will travel to Russia to discuss the details of the proposal.