Ukraine and Russia have conditions that could affect a ceasefire. What are they willing to concede?

Good morning colleagues. Can I just start by thanking you all for making time for this important meeting this morning. I think what this week has shown, um, particularly the developments and progress on Tuesday, is that President Zelensky, who's with us this morning, has shown once again. That Ukraine is the party of peace because he has agreed to and committed to *** 30 day unconditional ceasefire. Putin is the one trying to delay and in *** sense, and you all know this, if Putin is serious about peace, it's very simple. He has to stop his barbaric attacks on Ukraine and agree to *** ceasefire, and the world is watching. And my feeling is that sooner or later he's going to have to come to the table and engage in serious discussion. We can't sit back and simply wait for that to happen. We have to keep pushing ahead, pushing forward, and preparing for peace, and *** peace that will be secure and that will last, and I think that means strengthening Ukraine. So they can defend themselves, um, and strengthening obviously in terms of military capability, in terms of funding, in terms of uh the provision of further support from all of us to Ukraine. Secondly, being prepared to defend any deal ourselves through *** coalition of the willing, we've begun that process and this morning we can take it forward. And then thirdly, and really importantly, given the developments of the last few days, to keep the pressure on Putin to come to the table.

A ceasefire in Russia's 3-year-old war in Ukraine hinges on Moscow accepting the U.S. proposal of a 30-day pause in fighting as a confidence-building measure for both sides to hammer out a longer-term peace plan.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin will look to delay such a temporary truce with conditions meant to divert the peace process and lengthen the war. Ukraine, which faced pressure to accept the ceasefire after U.S. President Donald Trump blocked military aid and intelligence sharing, expects that he will threaten more sanctions on Moscow to push Putin into accepting the terms.As he disclosed that he will talk to Putin on Tuesday, Trump said that land and power plants are part of the conversation around bringing the war to a close, a process he described as “dividing up certain assets.”But beyond the temporary ceasefire, both sides seem unwilling to make large concessions to the other, and both have red lines that they insist cannot be crossed.A look at the issues:What are Russia's demands?When Putin launched its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, he demanded that Ukraine renounce joining NATO, sharply cut its army, and protect Russian language and culture to keep the country in Moscow’s orbit.Now, he also demands that Kyiv withdraw its forces from the four regions Moscow illegally annexed in September 2022 but never fully occupied — Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.Russian officials also have said that any peace deal should involve releasing Russian assets that were frozen in the West and lifting other U.S. and European Union sanctions. The Trump administration has proposed putting potential sanctions relief on the table.Video below: US and Ukrainian officials meet in Saudi Arabia for peace talksAlong with that, Putin has repeatedly emphasized the need to “remove the root causes of the crisis” — a reference to the Kremlin’s demand to roll back a NATO military buildup near Russian borders that it describes as a major threat to its security.He also argues that Zelenskyy, whose term expired last year, lacks legitimacy to sign a peace deal. Kyiv maintains that elections are impossible to hold amid a war. Trump has echoed Putin's view, speaking of the need for Ukraine to hold an election.Russian officials also have declared that Moscow won't accept troops from any NATO members as peacekeepers to monitor a prospective truce.What are Ukraine's demands?Facing setbacks along the 620-mile front, Ukraine has backed away from demanding that its state borders be returned to pre-2014 lines, because it does not have the military force capable of reaching that end. Ukraine is asking for a peace deal cemented with security guarantees from international allies that will ensure that Russia is never able to invade again.In lieu of NATO membership — a long-sought desire by Kyiv that appears to be nearly impossible without U.S. backing — what those guarantees might look like is taking shape in parallel talks led by France and Britain. A “coalition of the willing” envisions European boots on the ground and a strong military response if Russia were to launch a new offensive.Zelenskyy has insisted the Ukrainian army be strengthened to withstand future Russian offensives, a costly endeavor that will require quick and consistent support from international allies. A stockpile of weapons, capable of doing serious damage to Russian assets, is another demand. Kyiv also wants to bolster its domestic arms industry to lessen its reliance on allies, a reality that has set Ukrainian forces back throughout the war.Ukraine has key demands from Russia as well. Kyiv refuses to cede more territory to Moscow, including those in partially occupied regions. Also, Ukraine is seeking the return of children illegally deported to Russia and thousands of civilians detained in Russian prisons.Concessions and red linesBoth sides have red lines that are mutually exclusive making negotiations extremely challenging. The U.S. has said both sides must make concessions. The fate of one-fifth of Ukrainian land now under Russian control is likely to take center focus.For Moscow, the presence of NATO member states, as either peacekeepers or a reassurance force outside of the alliance framework, is a red line. But Moscow hasn’t mentioned any specific concessions.For Ukraine, which is in a weaker position, the question of territory held by Russia that it does not have the military means to retake is central. For Kyiv, it is both a red line and a potential concession.Zelenskyy has said his country will never recognize the territory as Russian. But Ukrainian officials concede that, while officially this always will be Kyiv’s position, the occupied territories are likely to remain under Russian control for some time.“Partners know our red lines — that we do not recognize the occupied territories as the territories of the Russian Federation, and we do not recognize them,” Zelenskyy told journalists recently. “This is my political will as president. And this is the political will of our people. This is a violation of international law and the Constitution of Ukraine.”Ukraine also rejects restrictions on the size and capabilities of its armed forces as well as limits on its ability to join international alliances such as NATO and the European Union.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin will look to delay such a temporary truce with conditions meant to divert the peace process and lengthen the war. Ukraine, which faced pressure to accept the ceasefire after U.S. President Donald Trump blocked military aid and intelligence sharing, expects that he will threaten more sanctions on Moscow to push Putin into accepting the terms.

As he disclosed that he will talk to Putin on Tuesday, Trump said that land and power plants are part of the conversation around bringing the war to a close, a process he described as “dividing up certain assets.”

But beyond the temporary ceasefire, both sides seem unwilling to make large concessions to the other, and both have red lines that they insist cannot be crossed.

A look at the issues:

What are Russia's demands?

When Putin launched its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, he demanded that Ukraine renounce joining NATO, sharply cut its army, and protect Russian language and culture to keep the country in Moscow’s orbit.

Now, he also demands that Kyiv withdraw its forces from the four regions Moscow illegally annexed in September 2022 but never fully occupied — Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.

Russian officials also have said that any peace deal should involve releasing Russian assets that were frozen in the West and lifting other U.S. and European Union sanctions. The Trump administration has proposed putting potential sanctions relief on the table.

Video below: US and Ukrainian officials meet in Saudi Arabia for peace talks

Along with that, Putin has repeatedly emphasized the need to “remove the root causes of the crisis” — a reference to the Kremlin’s demand to roll back a NATO military buildup near Russian borders that it describes as a major threat to its security.

He also argues that Zelenskyy, whose term expired last year, lacks legitimacy to sign a peace deal. Kyiv maintains that elections are impossible to hold amid a war. Trump has echoed Putin's view, speaking of the need for Ukraine to hold an election.

Russian officials also have declared that Moscow won't accept troops from any NATO members as peacekeepers to monitor a prospective truce.

What are Ukraine's demands?

Facing setbacks along the 620-mile front, Ukraine has backed away from demanding that its state borders be returned to pre-2014 lines, because it does not have the military force capable of reaching that end. Ukraine is asking for a peace deal cemented with security guarantees from international allies that will ensure that Russia is never able to invade again.

In lieu of NATO membership — a long-sought desire by Kyiv that appears to be nearly impossible without U.S. backing — what those guarantees might look like is taking shape in parallel talks led by France and Britain. A “coalition of the willing” envisions European boots on the ground and a strong military response if Russia were to launch a new offensive.

Zelenskyy has insisted the Ukrainian army be strengthened to withstand future Russian offensives, a costly endeavor that will require quick and consistent support from international allies. A stockpile of weapons, capable of doing serious damage to Russian assets, is another demand. Kyiv also wants to bolster its domestic arms industry to lessen its reliance on allies, a reality that has set Ukrainian forces back throughout the war.

Ukraine has key demands from Russia as well. Kyiv refuses to cede more territory to Moscow, including those in partially occupied regions. Also, Ukraine is seeking the return of children illegally deported to Russia and thousands of civilians detained in Russian prisons.

Concessions and red lines

Both sides have red lines that are mutually exclusive making negotiations extremely challenging. The U.S. has said both sides must make concessions. The fate of one-fifth of Ukrainian land now under Russian control is likely to take center focus.

For Moscow, the presence of NATO member states, as either peacekeepers or a reassurance force outside of the alliance framework, is a red line. But Moscow hasn’t mentioned any specific concessions.

For Ukraine, which is in a weaker position, the question of territory held by Russia that it does not have the military means to retake is central. For Kyiv, it is both a red line and a potential concession.

Zelenskyy has said his country will never recognize the territory as Russian. But Ukrainian officials concede that, while officially this always will be Kyiv’s position, the occupied territories are likely to remain under Russian control for some time.

“Partners know our red lines — that we do not recognize the occupied territories as the territories of the Russian Federation, and we do not recognize them,” Zelenskyy told journalists recently. “This is my political will as president. And this is the political will of our people. This is a violation of international law and the Constitution of Ukraine.”

Ukraine also rejects restrictions on the size and capabilities of its armed forces as well as limits on its ability to join international alliances such as NATO and the European Union.

��vlog