Kremlin's Demand: Ukraine's Troop Withdrawal in Donbas

The Kremlin has stated that Ukraine must withdraw its troops from the Donbas region it still controls to seek peace. A conversation between Putin and Trump took place regarding the issue, with Peskov emphasizing Ukraine's required withdrawal. Russia currently holds significant parts of Ukraine, including Donbas.

In a stern declaration on Monday, the Kremlin called for Ukraine to withdraw its troops from the Donbas region, claiming this was a requisite step for peace. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stressed that without such a withdrawal, Kyiv stands to lose further territory.

Dialogue between Russian President Vladimir Putin and former U.S. President Donald Trump took place on Sunday, prior to Trump's meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Miami. Peskov indicated that another conversation was imminent, yet he refrained from discussing specific details like a free economic zone in Donbas or the status of the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

Peskov also reiterated the Kremlin's view regarding the contested regions, affirming that no direct discussions were happening between Putin and Zelenskiy as of now. He referenced Trump's sentiment that Ukraine could potentially lose more territory to Russia without reaching an accord.