"Putin Makes Bold Offer to Ukraine -- But Will Kyiv Take It?"
Published: 25-12-2022 23:34
Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for negotiations with Ukraine in a recent interview on Russian state television.
In the interview, Putin said that the Kremlin was looking to resolve conflicts with Ukraine through dialogue. He mentioned a “road map” of measures that could be taken to improve relations between the two countries, saying that these steps could be discussed in a direct dialogue.
However, his proposal was quickly rejected by Kyiv. Ukrainian Prime Minister Oleksiy Honcharuk released a statement saying that Russia should first stop its aggression against Ukraine before any talks can take place. He also said that Kyiv is open to diplomatic conversations but only if they are based on mutual respect and internationally recognized rules and norms.
This call for negotiation comes at a time when tensions between the two countries have been escalating over Russia's military presence in eastern Ukraine and its support of separatists there. The United Nations has accused Russia of violating international law by sending troops, weapons, and equipment into Ukrainian territory during the conflict in 2014. A ceasefire agreement signed in 2015 has failed to bring lasting peace, with both sides continually accusing each other of violations.
The recent proposal from Putin appears to be an attempt to create a more stable situation in the region. However, it seems unlikely that it will be successful without concessions from both sides and concrete actions from Russia to change its behavior towards Ukraine and end its occupation of Crimea.
