Russia's 2022 Peace Proposal Sparks Tensions

Recently revealed documents suggest that Russia's initial peace proposal in March 2022 was essentially an attempt to turn Ukraine into a puppet state, demanding significant concessions such as ceding Crimea and Donbas, demilitarization, and a ban on NATO membership. Meanwhile, tensions between Ukraine and Russia over prisoner exchanges have escalated, with both sides accusing each other of obstructing the process. Russia claims Ukraine has refused to take back 935 prisoners, accepting only 279, while Ukraine accuses Russia of slowing down the exchanges. Despite these accusations, both nations have a history of conducting prisoner swaps, with the most recent exchange occurring in mid-October. These exchanges remain one of the few diplomatic contacts between the two countries amidst the ongoing conflict.