According to the document, Moscow continues to demand withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhya oblasts. Additionally, the Kremlin wants Ukraine to hold elections before negotiating and signing a peace treaty. Overall, the document suggests that Russia shows little interest in finding a way to end the war, attaching further conditions to already unacceptable demands.
The memorandum calls on Ukraine to:
- Completely withdraw from Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhya oblasts within 30 days of a ceasefire.
- Recognize Crimea, Donbas, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhya oblasts as part of Russia.
- Adopt neutrality.
- Hold elections and then sign a peace treaty.
- Eschew redeployment of Ukrainian forces, except for moves to reposition troops at a mutually agreed distance.
- Outlaw stationing of nuclear weapons on Ukrainian territory.
- End the supply of Western weapons and intelligence to Ukraine.
- Sign a peace treaty to be approved by a legally binding resolution of the UN Security Council.
- Grant amnesty to “political prisoners” and release “detained military and civilian individuals.”
- Guarantee “full rights for Russian speakers.”
- Waive any war reparation claims.
The Ukrainian delegation received the memorandum at the hour-long meeting and request time to review the document. Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said the delegation will have a week to examine the Russian proposals.
After the negotiations, Russian delegation head Vladimir Medinsky told Russian media he had “handed our memorandum to the Ukrainian side, which has two parts: first, how to achieve lasting peace, and second, what steps need to be taken for a complete ceasefire.”