Asger Risom
Moscow’s latest ceasefire proposal includes sweeping demands Kyiv calls “unacceptable ultimatums.”
Russia has escalated its ceasefire demands in the war with Ukraine, insisting that Kyiv dismantle and destroy all Western-supplied weapons as part of any peace agreement.
The demand, revealed in an interview with Izvestia and reported by the Kyiv Independent, was made by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko on June 16.
Kremlin Issues Maximalist Conditions
“All these surpluses must be destroyed,” Grushko said, referring to Western weapons sent to bolster Ukraine’s defense.
“They must be reduced, disposed of, and guaranteed.”
The stipulation forms part of a wider “peace memorandum” presented by Moscow during recent negotiations in Istanbul.
The document also demands that Ukraine recognize Russia’s annexation of Crimea and four partially occupied regions—Kherson, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Luhansk—and that Ukrainian troops fully withdraw and demobilize.
Grushko further claimed that the continued flow of weapons into Ukraine poses a broader threat to Europe, invoking fears of arms proliferation.
“It’s crazy how reckless some politicians are, still flooding the market with weapons,” he said.
Kyiv Rejects What It Calls an Ultimatum
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has firmly rejected Russia’s terms, describing them as unrealistic and coercive.
Speaking to Hungary’s Valasz Online on June 10, Zelensky said Russian negotiators acknowledged their position was an ultimatum.
“They even told our delegation: we know that our memorandum is an ultimatum, and you will not accept it,” he said.
Ukraine’s counterproposal emphasizes humanitarian priorities such as prisoner exchanges, the return of abducted children, and securing the right to join NATO and the EU.
Kyiv also insists that any sanctions relief for Russia be tied to verifiable compliance with a ceasefire and that frozen Russian assets be used for reconstruction.
No Breakthrough After Two Rounds of Talks
Despite negotiations in May and June, there has been no progress toward a ceasefire.
Moscow remains unwilling to halt hostilities unconditionally, and Ukraine continues to resist demands it views as surrender.
U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed frustration over Moscow’s inflexibility but has so far stopped short of introducing new sanctions.