Russia Sets High Price for Peace with Ukraine

MOSCOW, TUESDAY — Russia imposes high demands if Ukraine and its allies wish to hold peace negotiations. Negotiations can take place, among other things, if the fundamental reasons for Russia's invasion of Ukraine can be resolved. Kyiv must also stop the eradication of all aspects of Russian culture, including the language, which has been ingrained in most parts of Ukraine.

"The political solution we envision cannot be achieved except through the full implementation of what President (Vladimir) Putin stated last June," said Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, at a press conference on Monday (10/2/2025) local time or Tuesday Indonesian time. He added that if Ukraine's allies such as the US and the UK understand this message, the path to a political solution can soon be realized.

This is the initial statement delivered by the Russian Government after US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a series of comments regarding the potential for peace negotiations. Although there were sharp differences between Trump and Zelenskyy, it appears that the two allies have found common ground in efforts to pave the way for negotiations, namely the barter of Ukraine's rare earth mineral resources in exchange for US support.

Trump, during a flight to Philadelphia, claimed to have contacted Putin and discussed several issues, including Ukraine. Trump has long wanted to end the war in Ukraine, which has been ongoing for three years, and he believes it can be done either the easy way or the hard way.

Putin, in his speech on June 14, 2024, at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, proposed three conditions for negotiations to take place, namely that Ukraine must cease its ambition to become part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), withdraw its troops from the four regions claimed to be controlled by Russia, and stop the suppression of Russian culture in Ukrainian territory.

Currently, it is estimated that Moscow controls about 20 percent of Ukraine's territory, including Crimea and four regions in eastern and southern Ukraine. Based on open-source data, the Russian military only controls between 70-80 percent of the territory. Ukraine is estimated to still control around 26,000 square kilometers.

"Without addressing the root causes of the (invasion) issue, it is impossible to reach an agreement," said Ryabkov. "So, variations and half-measures are not the path we are prepared to take."

Ryabkov did not elaborate on what he meant by variations or half-measures in the negotiation process. However, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, as quoted by the TASS news agency, said that all positive statements by Ukraine and its allies, especially the US, regarding the peace talks were also accompanied by arms assistance. According to Galuzin's notes, Ukraine has received arms assistance worth more than 200 billion US dollars in the past three years.

Although there is a positive tendency to open the door to the peace negotiation process, according to Galuzin, the Russian government believes that Ukraine's allies have not changed their position due to these aids. Furthermore, statements about the peace negotiation plans are only in the public domain and have not yet been officially declared.

"I must say that with all these seemingly positive statements, nothing has actually changed, given that the West continues to flood the Kiev regime with weapons. We observe this fact and take it into account in our policy," Gulazin said.

He warned that positive statements from Trump or his allies must be accompanied by concrete proposals that take into account Russia's legitimate interests. Currently, that is not the case.

Leonid Slutsky, head of the International Affairs Committee in the Duma (the lower house of the Russian Parliament) warned that ultimatums and half-hearted measures or even pressure on Russia will not succeed in shaking them.

"Official dialogue should be conducted on an equal footing and aimed primarily at eradicating the root causes of the Ukrainian crisis. It should also take into account current territorial realities," he said, as quoted by TASS.

Thomas E Graham, Director of Russian Affairs of the US National Security Council 2004-2007 said, Russia's invasion of Ukraine is a wider war of the Kremlin against the West. NATO expansion, in this case the attempt to include Ukraine in the NATO area, is considered to rob Russia of its defense and security buffer zone.

This will have an impact on the approach that Trump and his aides can take in peace talks with Russia. That is, ending the war must be in line with guarantees of European security as a whole and the US as the main leader of peace talks.

“The reason is clear: only the United States, the main guarantor of European security, and Russia, the continent’s leading military power, can unilaterally change the security equation in Europe,” he said, on the Council of Foreign Relations website.

From there, Graham said, there are several things that can be done. First, continue to strengthen Ukraine economically through its membership in the European Union. Second, encourage bilateral security cooperation with G7 member countries. Next, impose targeted sanctions that can erode Russia's ability to continue the war and restore diplomatic relations as an incentive. (Reuters)