Negotiations: Russia says it ‘will not give up’ a single point to Ukraine

SVITLANA KIZILOVA — WEDNESDAY, 9 MARCH 2022, 19:32

The representative of the Russian delegation stated that Russia would not give in to the Ukrainian side on any negotiating point. He made the remarks on 9 March, a day after Putin's de-Ukrainization – which he called "denazification" – disappeared from his list of demands on Kyiv.

Source: TASS with the reference to a member of the Russian delegation in talks with Kyiv, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs, Leonid Slutsky

Details: Slutsky noted that negotiations are in fact needed to reach an agreement on key military, political, and humanitarian points. He then added that the Russian delegation "will not give up on any negotiating point."

Background: On 8 March, Russia told Ukraine that it could end the war at any moment if Kyiv agreed to Moscow's "conditions."

According to Dmitry Peskov, Putin’s press secretary: "(Ukrainians) must amend their Constitution, according to which Ukraine will reject any goal of  joining any block. We have also said that they should recognize Crimea as Russian territory, and that they should recognize Donetsk and Luhansk as independent states. And that's all." 

The term "denazification" has disappeared from the requirements, despite its frequent use by Russian officials up till now.

Reminder: Dmytro Kuleba, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, says he has limited expectations from a meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, which is scheduled for 10 March in Turkey.