Russian President Vladimir Putin set conditions for peace talks with Ukraine on Friday, June 14, amid his country's exclusion from a summit aimed at addressing the Ukraine conflict.
As per Reuters, Putin stated that Russia would cease fire and enter peace talks if Ukraine abandoned its NATO ambitions and withdrew forces from four regions claimed by Moscow.
"The conditions are very simple," Putin said.
He demanded the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions.
Putin stated, "As soon as Kyiv declares they are ready for such a decision and begins a real withdrawal of troops, and also officially announces the abandonment of their plans to join NATO, we will immediately order a ceasefire and begin negotiations."
Russia currently controls nearly a fifth of Ukrainian territory.
Ukraine insists that peace must involve a full withdrawal of Russian forces and the restoration of its territorial integrity.
The weekend summit in Switzerland, attended by representatives from over 90 nations and organizations, will focus on issues like food security and nuclear safety in Ukraine, avoiding territorial disputes.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin has dismissed the summit as "futile" without Russian representation.
