The harsh and uncompromising terms of the Kremlin for peace negotiations effectively mean the capitulation of Ukraine and testify to vladimir putin's unwillingness to conduct honest negotiations on any terms other than russian ones.
This was stated in a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
A recent sociological survey shows that Ukrainians massively reject russia's demands for the full surrender of Ukraine, which makes the Kremlin's terms for ending the war completely unfounded and unpopular.
Analysts referred to the results of a sociological survey conducted by the Dzerkalo Tyzhnia publication on the order of the Razumkov Center, published on July 15.
According to them, 83% of respondents reject putin's statement that Ukraine should hand over the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia Regions to russia. In addition, 58% of respondents said that Ukraine should not enshrine neutral, non-aligned and non-nuclear status in the Constitution, as Moscow insists.
The ISW recalled putin's recent statements as prerequisites for the start of "peaceful" negotiations, including recognizing russia's territorial claims to the four specified regions, carrying out "demilitarization" and promising not to join NATO.
Analysts believe that such conditions of the Kremlin actually mean the capitulation of Ukraine and testify to putin's reluctance to conduct honest negotiations on any terms other than russian ones.
This is also evidenced by the statement of Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who accused NATO of disrespecting "russia's main concern" and noted that the alliance's behavior shows that there are no grounds for peace negotiations. This was a reaction to the Alliance's statement regarding Ukraine's membership prospects.
ISW is convinced that putin's demands for the full surrender of Ukraine as a precondition for peace negotiations are part of an attempt to undermine Ukraine's efforts to gain international support for its legitimate negotiating positions based on international law.
"Russia's constant attempts to claim that Ukraine is reneging on "reasonable" demands are aimed at portraying Ukraine as an unreasonable party, despite the fact that Ukraine's legal borders have been recognized by international law since 1991," ISW notes.
As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, on June 17, the advisor to the head of the President's Office, Mykhailo Podoliak, said that the aggressor country, russia, may be invited to the second Peace Summit.
Meanwhile, the US Department of State commented on Ukraine's idea of russia's participation in the second peace summit.
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