The Kremlin has dismissed the idea of “freezing” military actions in Ukraine along the current front line, calling it "a priori unacceptable," according to Dmitry Peskov, press secretary for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"The conditions formulated by President [Vladimir] Putin remain unchanged. These are the steps needed to halt the fighting," Peskov stated, as cited by Tass.
Peskov’s comments came in response to a Bloomberg report about a peace proposal from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The plan reportedly includes a ceasefire along the front line, a 10-year postponement of Ukraine's NATO membership, and the establishment of a "demilitarized zone" in Donbas with international peacekeeping forces.
Peskov clarified that this plan had not been discussed during recent contacts between Russia and Turkey.
Erdogan has previously emphasized that any peace agreement must ensure Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty, and the return of Crimea.
According to Bloomberg sources, Erdogan’s initiative stems from intelligence suggesting Ukraine risks losing additional territory if the war continues.
The report also speculates that some of Ukraine's allies may support Erdogan's plan due to concerns that Ukraine's NATO membership could provoke a direct conflict with Russia.
Additionally, Bloomberg mentions that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump may propose a similar plan to "freeze" the conflict along the 1,300-kilometer front line. Trump has promised to bring peace to Ukraine immediately after his inauguration on January 20, 2025.
Putin first outlined his own conditions for peace negotiations in June, demanding the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhia, and Kherson regions and recognition of these areas as Russian territory.
He also insisted on Ukraine’s renunciation of NATO membership and the lifting of Western sanctions imposed on Russia since the start of the war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has categorically rejected these terms, calling them an ultimatum.
