Russian President Vladimir Putin demands a written pledge by NATO not to accept more Eastern European members and the lifting of several sanctions as conditions for ending Russia's war in Ukraine, Reuters reported on May 28, citing three undisclosed Russian sources.
One senior Russian source told Reuters that Putin is ready for a peace agreement, but "not at any price."
A ban on NATO's "eastward expansion" would rule out the future accession of Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, and others.
Moscow has claimed that Ukraine's NATO aspirations have been one of the key causes of the Russian invasion. The Russian aggression against Ukraine began in 2014 with the annexation of Crimea and the war in Donbas, a time when Kyiv had little prospect of joining the alliance in the foreseeable future.
Russia wants to see Ukraine neutral, and is seeking to lift some Western sanctions, resolve the issue of frozen Russian assets, and "protect" Russian-speaking residents of Ukraine, Reuters' sources added.
Moscow has spread the narrative that Kyiv is oppressing Russian-language speakers in Ukraine through its legislation. The Russian language remains widely spoken across the country, though the Ukrainian government adopted a number of reforms in recent years to promote the Ukrainian language and identity in the public sphere after decades of Russification under the Russian and Soviet rule.
One of the sources said that Putin realizes he will not be able to reach a peace agreement on his terms, so he will try to show Ukraine and Europe with his military gains that "peace tomorrow will be even more painful."
Following the call with U.S. President Donald Trump on May 19, Putin said Russia's position in the negotiations remains unchanged and requires "eliminating the root causes" of the war, including an alleged threat from NATO.
Trump has repeatedly echoed Moscow's narrative that Ukraine's efforts to join NATO have been one of the root causes of the full-scale invasion. Kyiv rejected restrictions on joining international alliances and organizations — namely, NATO and the EU — as part of a potential peace deal.
Ukraine applied for NATO membership in September 2022, months after the outbreak of the full-scale war. The country has not received a formal invitation, as the 32 members have struggled to reach a consensus.
Andrea Januta
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