PUTIN MEETS U.S. ENVOY WITKOFF AT THE KREMLIN – Putin’s conditions for peace include a legally binding pledge NATO will not expand eastwards
U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin on Wednesday, two days before the expiry of a deadline set by President Donald Trump for Russia to agree to peace in Ukraine or face new sanctions.
Bloomberg and independent Russian news outlet The Bell reported that the Kremlin might propose a moratorium on air strikes by Russia and Ukraine – an idea that was mentioned last week by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko during a meeting with Putin.
Putin’s conditions for peace include a legally binding pledge that NATO will not expand eastwards, Ukrainian neutrality, protection for Russian speakers and acceptance of Russia’s territorial gains in the war, Russian sources have said.
Zelenskiy has said Ukraine would never recognise Russia’s sovereignty over its conquered regions and that Kyiv retains the sovereign right to decide whether it wants to join NATO.
