KHARKIV, Ukraine (AFP) – On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin set out the terms for stopping Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as Moscow’s military bombed the country’s second city and Western nations prepared to ratchet up sanctions.
Putin’s ultimatum came as Moscow and Kyiv had their first talks since the war broke out last Thursday, shocking the world and provoking significant diplomatic, economic, cultural, and sporting retaliation.
In a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron shortly before the discussions ended, Putin set out his conditions for ending the war, agreeing only to begin a second round of negotiations “soon.”
“Putin emphasised that a settlement is only possible if Russia’s legitimate security interests are unconditionally considered, including the recognition of Russian sovereignty over Crimea, the demilitarisation and denazification of Ukraine, and the maintenance of its neutral status,” according to the Kremlin.
During the meeting, fighting continued, with at least 11 people killed by Russian shelling in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second biggest city near the Russian border.
According to Ukraine, more than 350 civilians have been murdered in the invasion, including 14 children, and more than 500,000 people have left the nation.
Many people in Kyiv were ready for a new attack by erecting improvised barriers across the city.
The Russian army urged Ukrainians to leave Kyiv “freely” via a single roadway ahead of what is believed to be a Russian assault on the capital.
As Russian soldiers marched near Ukraine’s largest nuclear plant, the International Atomic Energy Agency expressed “grave concern,” strongly warning against any military action that may harm the Zaporizhzhia facility.
