Russia presents demands for talks with US on Ukraine peace deal

Washington: Aiming to end its long-running war with Ukraine, Russia presented the US with a list of demands which also looks forward to revamp its relations with the US, Reuters reported citing two sources.

Although it is not known what the conditions in the list are, officials of the two countries discussed terms both in-person and virtually over the last three weeks.

The news agency reported citing sources that Russia’s demands are ‘similar’ to those it had previously presented to Ukraine, the US and NATO.

Russia previously demanded that Ukraine should not be given NATO membership, sought an agreement not to deploy foreign troops in Ukraine and also recognize internationally Russia’s claim over Crimea and four provinces.

This come against the backdrop of Russia’s demand in recent years that the US and NATO should addressed what Russia said the ‘root causes’ of the war, alongside NATO’s expansion in eastward.

Meanwhile, President Trump is waiting for Russian president Putin to respond to Ukraine’s proposal of a 30-day truce as a first step towards peace talks.

It is not certain if Putin will deign to agree for a ceasefire amid fears in the US that if at all he agrees he is likely to use truce to ‘divide the US, Ukraine and Europe and undermine any talks’.

Meanwhile, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy seemed to be upbeat when he called the talks between the US and Ukraine officials in Saudi Arabia as ‘constructive’.

Volodymyr Zelenskiy reportedly said 30-day ceasefire with Russia could lead to a ‘broader peace deal’.