Putin Lays Out His Demands For Cease-Fire In Call With Turkey’s President

According to reports, Russian President Vladimir Putin described the conditions necessary to end his invasion in Ukraine during a Thursday conversation with Turkish President Recept Tayyip Erdogan.

Erdogan’s top adviser and spokesperson, Ibrahim Kalin, said that Russia also wants Ukraine to undergo a process of disarmament to reduce Russia’s future threats as well as legal protections to the Russian language in Ukraine.

Putin is asking for face-toface negotiations with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine’s President, to settle his demands. Zelenskyy previously said he was not opposed to these demands.

Kalin stated that Putin also listed other conditions, but he didn’t go into too much detail. He believes that they will include territories that have separated from Ukraine in the eastern Donbas.

Putin is expected to ask Ukraine for its east territory and recognize that Crimea, an illegally annexed by Russia in 2014, will be given up.

These demands match previous reports that Putin had told Ukrainian officials that he would end his invasion if six conditions were met.

As Putin’s invasion enters its fourth week, news of his willingness to negotiate an ending to the war is breaking. Reports have also surfaced that some Russian troops are feeling less motivated.

The U.S. Defense Department observed Russian forces slowing down in their advance and anecdotal evidence of low morale among troops.

Recent reports have shown a slowdown in Russian advances over the last week, which could contribute to low morale.