Russia Putin Security Council
UKRAINE (77WABC) — President Vladimir Putin’s spokesperson said Russia has told Ukraine it will halt its invasion “in a moment” if Kyiv agrees to give up three key regions.
Moscow is demanding Ukraine cease military action, acknowledge Crimea as Russian territory and recognize the separatist republics of Donetsk and Lugansk as independent states. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Ukraine was aware of the demands.
“They were told that all this can be stopped in a moment,” Peskov told Reuters in a phone interview. “We really are finishing the demilitarization of Ukraine. We will finish it. But the main thing is that Ukraine ceases its military action. They should stop their military action and then no one will shoot.”
Peskov did not reveal whether Russian troops would withdraw completely from Ukraine if the conditions were met – only that fighting would stop. The deadly invasion, which provoked outrage across the world and led to heavy sanctions on Moscow, has already heavily pounded cities including Kyiv, Kharkiv and Mariupol.
