Kremlin declares ‘freezing’ Ukraine war unacceptable

(MENAFN) The Kremlin has firmly rejected the idea of "freezing" the ongoing Ukraine conflict, as suggested in reports that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan might propose it during the upcoming G20 summit in Brazil. According to sources cited by Bloomberg, Erdogan plans to recommend freezing the conflict at its current frontlines and urging Ukraine to delay its NATO membership for at least ten years as a gesture to Moscow. Additionally, Erdogan is said to propose establishing a demilitarized zone in Donbass, with international troops providing security guarantees for Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, when asked about the proposal, stated that Moscow had no details on any such plan. However, he emphasized that a freeze in the conflict, as suggested by Erdogan, would be "unacceptable" for Russia. Peskov reiterated that Russian President Vladimir Putin had previously outlined conditions for a resolution, which include Ukraine withdrawing its forces from all Russian-claimed territories and committing to not join NATO. These conditions, according to Peskov, represent the necessary steps to end the hostilities.

In a phone call with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz last week, Putin restated that Moscow remains open to diplomatic negotiations but accused Ukraine of refusing to engage in talks. He also underscored that any future settlement must consider Russia's security concerns, acknowledge new territorial realities, and address the underlying causes of the conflict, which, according to Putin, stem from NATO’s long-standing aggressive policies and the neglect of Russia’s security interests.

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