Russia Says Ukraine's Conflict Political Solutions Can Be Achieved If President Putin's Conditions Are Fulfilled

Ukrainian soldiers operate M777's Howitzer artillery from the US on the battlefield. (Wikimedia Commons/Mil.gov.ua)

JAKARTA - Russia says the political solutions to the conflict in Ukraine can be achieved if President Vladimir Putin's terms are met.

That was conveyed by Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov. According to him, all requirements must be met before the war in Ukraine ends.

"Political solutions as we envision can not be achieved other than through the full implementation of what President Vladimir Putin said when he spoke to the Russian Foreign Ministry in June," Deputy Foreign Minister Ryabkov told a news conference in Moscow.

"This is where we are and the sooner the United States, Britain and other countries understand it, the better and the closer this desired political solution is to everyone," said Deputy Foreign Minister Ryabkov.

United States President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly said he wants to end the war in Ukraine quickly after hundreds of thousands of deaths, said on Sunday he felt he had made progress although had not yet determined how he hoped to end the conflict.

The Kremlin refuses to confirm or deny the contact.

However, Moscow quickly underscores its maximum demands - as set by President Putin in June last year - remains the opening offer at the start of negotiations.

President Putin in his speech on June 14, 2024, said that setting terms, Ukraine must stop its NATO ambitions and withdraw its troops from the four Ukrainian territories claimed and largely controlled by Russia.

Russia annexed Lugansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhia after holding a criticized referendum following an invasion in 2022. The announcement of the annexation was made directly by President Vladimir Putin.

Kyiv, who wants to join NATO and regain control of the lost territory if possible, said at the time such a requirement would be tantamount to surrendering.

"Without solving the problem at the root of what happened, it is impossible to reach an agreement," said Deputy Foreign Minister Ryabkov.

"So, variations and half-hearted actions are not the way we are ready to take," he said.