The British newspaper The Telegraph has published five main demands from Kyiv that must be considered in any potential peace agreement regarding the conflict with Russia. According to the journalists, these demands indicate significant discrepancies with the Washington plan that emerged this week.
This is reported by Kyiv24
“At the heart of the demands is the insistence that Crimea – Ukrainian land annexed by Putin’s forces in 2014 – is not officially recognized as Russian. Recognizing Russian control there would violate a central principle of international law – no country can annex the territory of another – and would breach the Ukrainian constitution,” the media emphasizes.
According to the analysis, Kyiv seeks to ensure that any peace agreement is based on international legal norms and does not recognize the legitimacy of the Russian annexation. The document reviewed by the newspaper contains specific points regarding Ukraine’s position in this conflict.
Ukraine’s Key Demands in Peace Negotiations
- Recognition of Ukraine’s Sovereignty over Crimea – a key point that entails non-recognition of Russian control over the peninsula annexed in 2014 and calls for the return of this territory under Ukrainian sovereignty.
- Preservation of International Legal Status – a demand that any agreement be based on the principles of international law, with a warning against possible invasions by other countries, such as China in the context of Taiwan.
- Security Guarantees – the necessity for clearly defined security guarantees for Ukraine that would prevent the transfer of territories or weakening of the country’s defense capabilities, even in the event of a peace agreement being signed.
- Ukraine’s Participation in Peace Processes – emphasizes the importance of Ukraine being at the center of negotiations and participating in determining the next steps.
- Limitation of Russian Capabilities within the Agreement – a prohibition on using any agreements to limit the number of Ukrainian armed forces or defense industry, which is crucial for maintaining the country’s independence and defense capabilities.
Although Kyiv has not officially published this specific list of demands, similar reservations have already been expressed by representatives of the Ukrainian authorities previously. Furthermore, various opinions and oppositions regarding possible solutions to the conflict have been made public.
International Reactions and Prospects
Recent statements and actions from international players are significant in this context. For instance, American media reported that at a meeting in London on April 23, U.S. leaders proposed that Ukraine and Europe recognize Crimea as Russian territory and formalize the current state of the front, which elicited open objections from Ukraine. “Ukraine will not agree to recognize the legal occupation of Crimea; this contradicts the Constitution of Ukraine,” emphasized President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Additionally, former U.S. President Donald Trump considers such a position harmful to peace and negotiations with Russia, while his counterpart from the Russian Foreign Ministry, Sergey Lavrov, highlighted Russia’s readiness for a peace agreement but with the necessity of coordinating certain elements.
According to Bloomberg, the United States aims to secure Russia’s recognition of Ukraine’s rights to its own army and defense industry, which are key conditions for ending the war and preserving Ukraine’s independence.