Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that he would “immediately” order a ceasefire in Ukraine and begin negotiations, if Kyiv renounced its plan to join NATO and starts withdrawing troops from the four occupied Ukrainian regions, a report said.
“We will do it immediately,” Putin was quoted as saying in a speech at the Russian Foreign Ministry in Moscow, according to The Associated Press.
Putin said his proposal is aimed at a “final resolution” of the conflict in Ukraine rather than “freezing it”, and stressed that the Kremlin is “ready to start negotiations without delay.”
Putin's remarks came as the leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) met in Italy, and as Switzerland prepared to host scores of world leaders this weekend to try to map out first steps toward peace in Ukraine, but Russia won't be a part of the meeting.
His other demands include Ukraine’s non-nuclear status, restrictions on its military force and protecting the interests of the Russian-speaking population in the country. All of these should become part of “fundamental international agreements,” and all Western sanctions against Russia should be lifted, Putin was quoted as saying.
