By D. Maan, Jadetimes News
Putin's Conditions for a Ceasefire
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine said that Vladimir Putin's demand that Ukraine pull its troops out of areas that Russia says it has taken over was like Hitler's "ultimatum." It has been Zelensky's position for a long time that Ukraine will not negotiate until Russian troops leave all of Ukraine, including Crimea. In addition, Putin wants Ukraine to stop trying to join NATO before any peace talks can start.
Ukraine's Rejection and How the World Reacted
Officials in Ukraine have said that Putin's demands are unfair and hurtful. Mykhailo Podolyak, a presidential assistant, said the plan was a "complete sham." The requests were also criticised by US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who made it clear that Putin has no right to tell Ukraine what to do. President Zelensky compared Putin's demands to what Hitler did during World War II. This made Ukraine's strong opposition to the threat even stronger.
Peace Summit Coming Up
There will be a meeting in Switzerland with leaders from 90 countries to talk about ways to bring peace to Ukraine. Russia has not been invited. At this summit, Ukrainian President Zelensky hopes to show that the world will continue to back Ukraine. The Swiss government said the goal of the meeting is to start talking about how to make peace that is fair and lasts, based on international law and the UN Charter. Some important leaders, like US Vice President Kamala Harris, French President Emmanuel Macron, and other well known figures, have decided not to go because Russia is not there.
Agreement for G7 Support and Safety
Because of the ongoing conflict, the leaders of the G7 have decided to help Ukraine with the interest from Russian assets that have been frozen. After Russia invaded in February 2022, the G7 and the EU froze assets worth about $325 billion. This generated about $3 billion in interest each year. The interest on a $50 billion loan for Ukraine will be paid off with this money. The US and Ukraine also signed a security agreement that will last for 10 years. Kyiv called this agreement "historic." This help with money and safety is seen as a long term way to help Ukraine's finances and war effort.