Putin's Official Pushes For Ukraine Negotiations — But Asks To Keep Annexed Regions On The Table

A Russian Foreign Ministry diplomat pushed for negotiations with Ukraine as Vladimir Putin's war with his neighboring country appeared to be faltering.

What Happened: Alexei Polishchuk, the director of the second department of the CIS countries, said the parties must consider Russia's recently annexed territories of Ukraine in the event of a possible resumption of negotiations with Kyiv.

“The situation has changed significantly, new regions have joined Russia,” Polishchuk told Russia's state-owned Tass.

See Also: Zelenskyy Mocks Putin-Linked Mercenary Group Over Claims ‘City Is Littered With The Corpses Of Ukrainian Soldiers’

“Accordingly, with a possible resumption and further course of negotiations, new realities should be taken into account,” he added. 

The diplomat emphasized that Moscow has never shied away from negotiations, but it was Kyiv that has left their proposal "unanswered."

“At the end of February 2022, we responded to Kyiv’s request…we reached a mutually acceptable basis for agreements…settlement – unexpectedly interrupted the negotiation process, leaving our proposals of Apr. 15 unanswered. After that, there was no development on the negotiation track,” he said.

In September, Russia held "sham" referendums in the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions to join Russia. The leaders of Russia declared victory in a series of stage-managed, UN-condemned "referendums" and Putin, on Sept. 30, signed agreements on their accession to Russia. 

Later in October, Putin signed laws on the ratification of treaties on the admission of the Donetsk and Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions into the Russian Federation.

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