Russia Offers Conditional Peace, Ukraine Immediately Rejects

JAKARTA - Russian President Vladimir Putin, Friday, June 14, proposed peace to Ukraine, outlining Russia's conditions to end the war and start peace talks. However, the proposal was rejected by Ukraine.

Putin stated that Russia would "immediately" stop combat operations if Ukraine scrapped its intention to join NATO and withdraw its troops from four Russian-claimed regions -- Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhya.

"Today we made another concrete and real peace proposal. If Kiev and Western countries reject it as before, then it is their business, their political and moral responsibility for the continuation of the bloodshed," he said, quoted from ANTARA, Saturday, June 15.

Putin warned that the situation on the battlefield could turn out to be unfavorable for Kiev, and if this happens, "conditions to start negotiations will be different."

Putin stressed that he proposed ending the conflict, not just freezing it.

"As soon as Ukraine begins withdrawing troops from the Donbas and Novorossiya (in the region) and promises not to join NATO, the Russian Federation will stop firing and be ready to negotiate. I don't think it will take long," he added.

Putin hinted that he did not consider Volodymyr Zelenskyy as Ukraine's legitimate president after his term ended on May 20, and identified the country's parliament, Verkhovna Rada, as the only legitimate authority.

Ukraine rejected Russian President Vladimir Putin's peace proposal within hours of offering, arguing there was no new "proposed peace" from Moscow.

Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said in a statement on platform X: "There is no new 'proposed peace' from Russia," and that Russia's leadership is lacking in assessing the reality.

Earlier on the same day, Putin told a meeting with Foreign Ministry employees in Moscow that Russia was making "concrete and real peace proposals" to Kiev.