Moscow has presented its demands to Washington as a prerequisite for a potential peace agreement with Ukraine and a broader reset in relations with the United States, Reuters reported citing two informed sources.
The exact contents of Russia’s demands remain unclear, as does whether Moscow is willing to engage in negotiations with Kyiv before they are accepted. Russian and American officials have reportedly been in discussions for the past three weeks, both in person and remotely, the sources said.
The demands outlined by the Kremlin were said to align with previous conditions set for Ukraine, the US, and NATO. These include Ukraine renouncing its bid to join NATO and barring the presence of international troops on Ukrainian territory, including Crimea and four regions that President Vladimir Putin has declared as part of Russia.
Experts believe that Russia’s demands extend beyond a peace deal with Ukraine and are also aimed at reshaping its relations with Western powers. Angela Stent, a fellow at the Brookings Institution, told Reuters that “there are no signs that Russia is ready to make any concessions.”
In a related development, The Washington Post reported that European intelligence agencies had obtained a document detailing potential Russian demands. The document, reportedly drafted by a think tank linked to Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), includes a proposal for the “dismantling of the Kyiv regime.” Analysts suggest the plan is highly unrealistic, particularly as US President Donald Trump’s stated ambition to resolve the conflict within 100 days faces considerable skepticism. Many experts do not expect a resolution to the crisis before 2026.
Amid these discussions, Ukrainian and US representatives met in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, this week. During the meeting, Ukraine agreed in principle to a 30-day ceasefire, contingent on Russia’s agreement. Following the talks, the US announced a resumption of arms supplies and intelligence-sharing with Ukraine.
The Ukrainian presidential office has indicated that further discussions on the details of a temporary ceasefire will take place after March 17.
Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Moscow was carefully reviewing statements from the Jeddah meeting but has not yet received detailed information from the US over the talks. Peskov also confirmed that Russian and American officials plan to hold further discussions this week. He noted that while no request had been made for direct telephone talks between the US and Russian presidents, such a conversation could be arranged “very quickly” if needed.
The Guardian reported Donald Trump said on Wednesday that his representatives would travel to Russia “right now,” adding that “now everything depends on Russia.”
