Putin says Russia, Ukraine peace proposals contradictory

Al Mayadeen

18 hours ago

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that peace talks between Russia and Ukraine remain stalled, with each side's demands 'absolutely contradictory,' following two failed rounds of negotiations.
During recent talks in Istanbul, negotiators exchanged memoranda outlining their visions for ending the war, now in its third year. However, aside from agreeing to large-scale prisoner swaps, the meetings yielded no meaningful progress toward a ceasefire.
"As for the memorandums, as expected, nothing surprising happened... these are two absolutely contradictory memorandums," Putin said during 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."
At the talks, Russia has demanded Ukraine surrender more territory and renounce Western military assistance—conditions Kiev flatly rejects as unacceptable. Putin has intensified aerial attacks as his forces continue advancing beyond the five Ukrainian regions Moscow claims to have annexed.
Following limited progress during the June 2 peace talks, Putin confirmed that both sides would maintain contact, especially after implementing a prisoner exchange deal involving over 1,000 wounded, ill, or young soldiers. He also stated Russia is prepared to return the bodies of 3,000 fallen Ukrainian troops.
Putin also revealed the war is straining Russia's economy, revealing that defense spending now consumes 6.3% of GDP, around 13.5 trillion rubles ($172 billion). 'It's a lot,' he said, noting it has fueled inflation but claimed the government is working to bring it under control.
During a press conference in Belarus, Putin also criticized NATO's recent pledge to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP, calling the move 'aggressive.'
Russia does not view itself as an enemy of the West and remains open to dialogue, provided the West abandons its confrontational stance toward Moscow, Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said on Monday.
In remarks to Russia's RIA Novosti, Grushko emphasized that Moscow's foreign policy concept is not guided by hostility. 'We do not consider ourselves enemies of the West. We are ready for dialogue, but only if our opponents abandon their confrontational policy against Russia and halt eastward expansion,' he said. Grushko also underscored that any dialogue must be based on 'sovereign equality and mutual respect for national interests.'
His comments come in response to NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte's recent suggestion that relations with Russia should eventually return to normal after the end of the Ukraine war. Grushko was skeptical of the prospect, saying Rutte's vision represents 'a very long-term perspective that is nowhere on the horizon yet.'
Earlier, in an interview for Bloomberg, Rutte stated that it is natural for Europe and the US to seek a gradual normalization of relations with Russia after the conflict concludes. 'The war will have to fade eventually, and with it, so too must our estrangement,' he remarked.