The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has lasted for nearly two years, and in the context of the failure of the Ukrainian counteroffensive and the weakening of Western support, Russia's Putin recently publicly stated that Russia's goals have not changed.
However, the "New York Times" quoted a number of sources on December 23 local time as saying that Putin not only considered a ceasefire many times in the early days of the conflict, but also recently revealed privately that he was open to a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, and the Kremlin was interested in reaching a ceasefire agreement, and the premise was that Russia could continue to control nearly 20% of Ukraine's land in four places in eastern Ukraine (Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporozhye, Kherson).
According to the report, except for the preconditions involving land, Putin no longer seeks to remove the Zelensky government from power, and Ukraine can continue to exist as a sovereign state with Kyiv as its capital. However, U.S. and Western politicians remain generally skeptical of the news that Putin is leaning toward peace talks.
Since the outbreak of the military conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the delegations of the two countries have held five rounds of negotiations so far, the most recent of which was held in Istanbul, Turkey, on March 29 last year. On May 17 last year, both Russia and Ukraine said on the same day that peace talks between the two countries had been "put on hold indefinitely" and blamed each other for the deadlock.
Data map: Russian President Vladimir Putin The picture is from the surging image
According to the New York Times, as early as the early weeks of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Putin had explored the option of peace talks because Ukraine's resistance was "more resilient" than expected. However, as the "special military operation" continued to advance in depth, ceasefire negotiations between the two sides broke down.
The report quoted U.S. officials as saying that in September 2022, as the Ukrainian army recaptured several towns in the Kharkiv direction and the Russian army withdrew, Putin signaled to Kyiv and the West again at that time that he was open to a ceasefire agreement. However, senior U.S. officials said that because the Russian ceasefire is conditional on maintaining control of nearly 20% of Ukrainian land, they believe that "negotiations are premature."
Recently, as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine has lasted for nearly two years, Putin has "shown new interest" in a ceasefire, the report said. Two former senior Russian officials close to the Kremlin disclosed that Mr. Putin had put forward the same conditions as he did last September. At the same time, U.S. and other state officials have also received information that Putin is interested in peace talks.
"He's really willing to stop where he is. One of the former Russian officials told adding: "But he is also not willing to step back a meter." ”
U.S. officials believe that "Putin's position has changed" — a ceasefire that no longer calls for Zelenskyy's government to step down and will allow Ukraine to continue to exist as a sovereign state, with Kyiv as its capital, while Russia retains control of nearly 20% of Ukrainian land.
On December 19, local time, in Kiev, Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held an annual press conference. The picture is from The Paper
According to the New York Times, it is unclear whether Ukraine will accept a ceasefire under such conditions, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly vowed to recover all land under Russian control. Senior U.S. officials said they had not seen any influential Ukrainian politicians agree to the terms.
On December 2, local time, senior American investigative journalist and Pulitzer Prize winner Seymour Hersh disclosed on his website that at present, the top military generals of Russia and Ukraine are conducting peace negotiations and began to propose an armistice. Al Mayadeen quoted Hersh as saying that a U.S. official involved in the peace talks said that Putin had no objection to this, and Zelensky was still a "variable", but "Zelensky was told: peace talks will continue with or without you."
At the moment, American and Western politicians are still skeptical about the news that Putin is leaning towards peace talks. "They never fulfilled any of their agreements. Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics has thus claimed that Russia will immediately violate the agreement as soon as it feels it can.
In addition, another potential impasse in the peace talks is that Putin has tried to put the United States at the center of any negotiations, but American officials have insisted that the United States has not negotiated and will not negotiate on behalf of Ukraine. U.S. officials believe that Ukraine must demonstrate its staying power regardless of Putin's proposal, and the United States must show its willingness to support Ukraine in order to break Putin's confidence that "time is on his side" and force concessions in any negotiations.
On March 29, local time, the delegations of Russia and Ukraine held the latest round of peace talks in Istanbul. The picture is from The Paper
Western media outlets, such as Business Insider, have pointed out that although the New York Times reported that "Putin is privately interested in secret peace talks", this is clearly different from the message it sends to the public.
On December 14, local time, Putin attended the annual press conference at the Gostiny Dvor Exhibition Center in Moscow, covering topics such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the international situation, and the Russian economy.
Talking about the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Putin said that the "special military operation" was forced by Russia, which has been trying to establish relations with Ukraine for decades. "Later, our 'adversary' staged a coup d'état in this country, and the conflict that broke out after that was like a great tragedy. The entire south-east of Ukraine has always been a pro-Russian region. However, the Kiev authorities have concocted 'historical lies' about its peculiarities. ”
Putin also said that Russia's goals have not changed and that there will be no ceasefire until they are achieved. "When we achieve our goals, there will be peace, and victory will be ours," he said. ”
On December 20, Russian presidential press secretary and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia has repeatedly reiterated that the current peace talks themselves lack the basis and preconditions, that peace talks with Ukraine are not urgent, and that the so-called "peace plan" promoted by Kyiv is doomed to failure.
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