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Putin says Russia-Ukraine peace demands ‘absolutely contradictory' as ceasefire talks stall
'As for the memorandums, as expected, nothing surprising happened… these are two absolutely contradictory memorandums,' said Putin at a press conference in Minsk, Belarus read more
After two rounds of negotiations that have so far failed to move Russia and Ukraine to a ceasefire, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday said that the two sides peace demands remain 'absolutely contradictory'.
During peace talks held in Istanbul earlier this month, Russian and Ukrainian negotiators exchanged memorandums detailing their respective proposals for ending the three-year war.
However, aside from agreeing to large-scale prisoner exchanges, the talks have yielded no tangible progress toward halting the conflict, which began with Russia's military invasion in February 2022.
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'As for the memorandums, as expected, nothing surprising happened… these are two absolutely contradictory memorandums,' AFP quoted Putin as saying at a press conference in Minsk, Belarus.
'That's why negotiations are being organised and conducted, in order to find a path to bringing them closer together,' he added.
Russia's invasion has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, driven millions from their homes, and left much of eastern Ukraine in devastation.
In ongoing negotiations, Moscow has demanded that Ukraine cede more territory and cut ties with Western military backers, conditions Kyiv has firmly rejected as unacceptable.
President Putin has repeatedly dismissed international calls for an immediate ceasefire, opting instead to escalate airstrikes as Russian forces press forward, capturing additional areas beyond the five Ukrainian regions claimed by Moscow.
Putin said dialogue between the two sides would continue once the prisoner exchanges agreed upon during the June 2 talks are completed.
Since that agreement, both countries have carried out several swaps, each releasing over 1,000 captured soldiers, including the wounded, the ill, and those under 25.
Russia is also prepared to return the bodies of 3,000 deceased Ukrainian soldiers, Putin added.
He acknowledged that the military campaign is placing strain on the Russian economy, noting a sharp increase in defense spending, which now accounts for 6.3% of the country's GDP—roughly 13.5 trillion rubles ($172 billion).
'6.3 per cent of Russia's GDP goes on defence needs. That is 13.5 trillion rubles ($172 billion),' Putin said.
'It's a lot,' Putin said, acknowledging it had the potential to create headaches for the government budget.
'We paid for it with inflation, but now we are fighting this inflation,' he added.
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At the press conference following a meeting with allies in Belarus, Putin also denounced the 'aggressive' pledge by NATO members to increase their defence spending to five per cent of GDP.
With inputs from agencies
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