Ceasefire in Ukraine: Russian demands contained in the memorandum revealed in Istanbul
On June 2 in Istanbul, Russia made public a “memorandum” listing its conditions for a ceasefire with Ukraine.
Vladimir Poutine @ TF1 INFO
This document, submitted at the last minute, clearly reveals the Kremlin’s political, territorial, and military objectives. Reading the document shows that Moscow is not proposing a negotiated peace, but rather a political, military, and diplomatic capitulation of Ukraine. Here are the main points of the Russian demands:
- Recognition of the annexation of Crimea, Donbass, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and “Novorossia”.
- Complete withdrawal of the Ukrainian army from these territories within 30 days.
The content of this memorandum would legitimize a military conquest contrary to international law, and formalize a major territorial loss for Ukraine. The Kremlin also intends to impose on Ukraine the prohibition of joining any alliance (e.g., NATO) and the prohibition of any foreign military presence or Western bases.
Russia also demands a cap on the Ukrainian army’s personnel, an end to the delivery of foreign arms and intelligence, the dissolution of so-called “nationalist” militias, and demobilization.
The Kremlin also wants to extend its political and institutional control in Ukraine by organizing national elections under Russian supervision, within 100 days after the lifting of martial law.
The memorandum also mentions revising Ukraine’s language and religious policies to recognize Russian as an official language in the affected areas and lift restrictions on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
The Kremlin seeks to restore a form of symbolic russification in the conquered territories. The other Russian demands are summarized as follows: