Russian President, Vladimir Putin has given out his conditions for stopping the ongoing war with Ukraine.
According to reports Russian forces have shelled Ukraine’s second city and Western nations are preparing even more sanctions.
A peace talk was held between Moscow and Kyiv in the Belarusian borders on Monday, being the first meeting since last Thursday when the war broke out.
The meeting ended with both sides merely agreeing to hold the second round of negotiations “soon”.
However, the Russian leader was able to pass the message on the only conditions under which he would consider withdrawing his troops from the neighbouring country during a phone conversation with France President, Emmanuel Macron on Monday.
“Putin stressed that a settlement is possible only if Russia’s legitimate security interests are unconditionally taken into account, including the recognition of Russian sovereignty over Crimea, the demilitarisation and denazification of the Ukrainian State and ensuring its neutral status,” CNN quoted a Russian statement via UK medium, PA News agency after the telephone conversation between the two leaders.
The war started on Thursday when President Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine for some political reasons.
Even as the dialogue was underway on Monday, at least 11 people were killed by Russian attacks in Ukraine’s second-largest city of Kharkiv.
Meanwhile, as the war between Ukraine and Russia continues to intensify, Ukraine’s President, Volodymr Zelensky says prisoners with military experience willing to fight the Russians will be released.
Ukraine’s president said this during a speech in the country’s capital Kyiv, as a Ukrainian delegation and Russian representatives meet for peace talks at the Belarusian border.
Zelensky also called on Russian soldiers in Ukraine to lay down their arms, saying: “Save your lives and leave.”
“Abandon your equipment. Get out of here. Don’t believe your commanders. Don’t believe your propagandists. Just save your lives,” Zelensky said.
