Putin Peace Requirements Criticized At Ukrainian Summit

President Vladimir Putin. (Source: Sergei Bobylev/RIA Novosti)

JAKARTA - The leaders of Italy and Germany firmly rejected the ceasefire requirements set by Vladimir Putin to stop the war in Ukraine. The requirement was mentioned at the meeting to discuss how to end the Ukraine conflict in Switzerland.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called the Russian president's plan a "propaganda" which effectively suggested that Ukraine "must withdraw from Ukraine".

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called it a 'peace of dictators'. The draft declaration issued at the summit reaffirmed Ukraine's territorial integrity and firmly rejected all nuclear threats to the country.

On Friday, Putin claimed he would agree to a ceasefire if Ukraine withdrew troops from four partially occupied territory and claimed by Russia had been annexed.

Andriy Yermak, chief of staff of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, told the BBC at a summit of Switzerland that "there will be no compromise on independence, sovereignty or territorial integrity" as reported by the BBC.

Putin made his remarks ahead of Ukraine's two-day Peace Summit aimed at discussing basic principles to end the war. More than 90 countries and global institutions attended the event. This is Ukraine's biggest meeting since the massive invasion.

Commenting on Putin's proposal, Meloni said: "For me, this seems ineffective as a negotiation proposal to inform Ukraine that they should withdraw from Ukraine."

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak accused the Russian president of "creating false narratives about his willingness to negotiate".