Putin Seeks NATO Halt, Sanctions Lifted to End Ukraine War

Russian President Vladimir Putin has set forth conditions for ending the war in Ukraine, demanding a written pledge from Western leaders to halt NATO's eastward expansion, effectively excluding Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, and other former Soviet states from future membership. In addition to this security guarantee, Putin wants Ukraine to remain neutral, the lifting of some Western sanctions on Russia, resolution regarding frozen Russian assets, and protections for Russian-speaking populations within Ukraine. According to multiple Russian sources, Putin is prepared to make peace but not at any price and has indicated that if a deal on his terms is unattainable, he may pursue further military gains to demonstrate that continued conflict could be more painful. These demands align with Russia's narrative that NATO enlargement and Western support for Ukraine are the root causes of the conflict. Although Putin reportedly discussed working on a peace memorandum with Ukraine following talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, Kyiv and European governments accuse Moscow of stalling while continuing military advances in eastern Ukraine. The Kremlin has not publicly responded to these reports.