Russia's Unchanged Stance: The Quest for Control in Ukraine

Russia maintains its stance on the Ukraine conflict, insisting Kyiv withdraws from four territories Moscow claims. President Putin dismissed Ukraine's peace proposal while affirming Russia's aim for territorial control. The Kremlin reiterated that its position has been consistent since 2024. Ukraine has not responded to these remarks.

Russia remains steadfast in its conditions for a peace deal in Ukraine, demanding military withdrawal from four regions claimed by Moscow. President Vladimir Putin recently reiterated this stance, dismissing Ukrainian unification efforts as unacceptable.

Putin's interview detailed proposals from Ukraine to mutually halt long-range offensives and concentrate fighting within the disputed Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions. Despite Kyiv's rejection of these territorial claims as illegal, their office has not issued immediate comments on the matter.

The Kremlin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, emphasized that Russia's position on the conflict remains unchanged since 2024, aligning with prior declarations. The ongoing discussions also see Belarusian President Lukashenko involved, especially before his diplomatic visit to China.