Russia said a cease-fire in Ukraine will only occur if Kyiv stops fighting and withdraws troops from Donbas and other contested territories [1].
This demand establishes a rigid precondition for diplomacy, signaling that Moscow will not engage in negotiations while Ukrainian forces maintain their positions in the east. By demanding a full withdrawal before talks begin, the Kremlin is seeking a strategic victory and territorial consolidation as a prerequisite for any diplomatic resolution [1, 2].
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov detailed these requirements during a press briefing in Moscow [1, 2]. He said that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy must order Ukrainian forces to stop fighting and withdraw from Donbas and the so-called Russian regions for a cease-fire to take effect [1].
Moscow maintains that it will not consider a cease-fire or peace negotiations until Ukraine relinquishes control of territories it deems occupied [1, 2]. These areas include the Donbas region, and territories that Russia officially refers to as its own regions [1, 2].
Peskov said that the withdrawal is the necessary first step in a longer diplomatic process. "Only after that can full-scale and very complex peace talks begin," Peskov said [2].
The announcement comes as Russia continues to assert its claims over the disputed regions. The Kremlin's position places the burden of initiating the peace process on the Ukrainian government, requiring a significant military retreat before any formal agreements are discussed [1, 3].
“President Zelenskyy must order Ukrainian forces to stop fighting and withdraw from Donbas”
This demand reflects a shift toward unconditional territorial concessions as a baseline for diplomacy. By framing the withdrawal as a 'basic condition' rather than a point for negotiation, Russia is attempting to dictate the terms of any future settlement and pressure Ukraine into surrendering strategic land before receiving any guarantees of peace.
