Negative Reactions to Putin's Conditions for Ending Russia's Aggression Against Ukraine

The United States, NATO, and Ukraine rejected Vladimir Putin's conditions for ending the war, which include Ukraine withdrawing from territories claimed by Russia and abandoning its NATO membership request. On Friday, June 15, the Russian President stated that his country would stop its attacks only if Ukraine withdrew its forces from the claimed regions in the east and south of the country and set aside its NATO membership plans. The Ukrainian government, preparing to participate in a peace conference in Switzerland, immediately rejected Putin's 'conditions.' Russia will not participate in this international conference. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin also stated at the end of a NATO officials' meeting in Brussels that 'Putin has illegally occupied the independent territory of Ukraine and is not in a position to dictate ways to achieve peace to Ukraine.' The U.S. Defense Secretary added, 'If he makes such a decision, he can end the war today. We urge him to do so and withdraw from the independent territory of Ukraine.' NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg firmly rejected Putin's conditions for ending the war. In a press conference in Brussels, he said, 'This is a proposal based on ill will. The meaning of this proposal is that Russia's goals in this war are fulfilled, and in return, Ukraine is to cede a much larger territory than what the Russian army has occupied.' Mr. Stoltenberg added, 'This plan means more aggression, more occupation, and shows that Russia's goal is to control Ukraine.' The U.S. and Ukraine signed a 10-year security agreement. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also stated that Putin's ceasefire proposal is an ultimatum that cannot be trusted. Mr. Zelensky, in an interview with the Italian television network Sky TG 24 on the sidelines of the G7 summit, said that even if Putin's conditions for a ceasefire were accepted, he would not stop the military aggression. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry separately described Putin's statements as 'a deceptive statement aimed at misleading the international community and undermining diplomatic efforts for establishing a just peace.' The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry added in its statement, 'It is ridiculous that Putin, who has designed and executed the largest military invasion in Europe since World War II with his accomplices, presents himself as an architect of peace.' Mykhailo Podolyak, a senior advisor to the President of Ukraine, also told Reuters, 'Finding some kind of compromise between Vladimir Putin's statement and Ukraine's conditions for ending the war that Russia started is impossible.' He added, 'Putin's proposal is that Ukraine acknowledges its defeat. His proposal is that Ukraine cedes part of its territory to Russia. His proposal is that Ukraine abandons its geopolitical independence.'