Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s aide Mykhailo Podoliak responded to the recent reports by the Financial Times regarding the progress achieved in peace talks, saying that the edition published “a draft which represents the requesting position of the Russian side and nothing more.”
“Briefly. FT published a draft which represents the requesting position of the Russian side. Nothing more. The Ukrainian side has its own positions. The only thing we confirm at this stage is a ceasefire, the withdrawal of Russian troops, and security guarantees from a number of countries,” he tweeted.
Briefly. FT published a draft, which represents the requesting position of the Russian side. Nothing more. The 🇺🇦 side has its own positions. The only thing we confirm at this stage is a ceasefire, withdrawal of Russian troops and security guarantees from a number of countries
— Михайло Подоляк (@Podolyak_M) March 16, 2022
Earlier, the Financial Times reported that Ukraine and Russia have made significant progress on a 15-point peace plan that includes a ceasefire and the withdrawal of Russian troops if Kyiv agrees to neutrality and a reduction of its armed forces.
The publication quoted five anonymous sources as saying that the agreement provided for Kyiv’s refusal to join NATO and the deployment of foreign military bases or weapons on Ukrainian territory, with its security guarantors being allies such as the US, UK and Turkey.
The report said the biggest obstacle remains Russia’s demand for Ukraine to recognize Moscow’s sovereignty over Crimea and the so-called Independence of the Donetsk and Luhansk republics.
