Putin reiterates his “readiness” to end the war – demands control over 4 regions, Ukraine does not rule out a meeting of the leaders
1 August 2025 18:57
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has announced that he is ready to end the war against Ukraine on the terms he set out in 2024. These include the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions, as well as Ukraine’s refusal to join NATO.
He said this during a joint press conference with Alexander Lukashenko, Russian propaganda outlet TASS reports, "Komersant Ukrainian".
Putin reiterated that “Russia is not seizing territory” but only “returning what is its own” and called for “a lasting peace without time limits,” adding that Russia seeks to “eradicate the causes of the crisis” and guarantee its own security.
The statements came amid a deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump. He demanded that Russia end the war by August 8, otherwise he promised “very severe tariffs.” Trump emphasized that “there is no point in waiting 50 days” and gave Moscow 10 days from July 29 to conclude a peace agreement.
Earlier, Trump also expressed his readiness to personally help end the war and conclude an agreement that would “stop the killing and open the way to lasting peace.”
Ukraine reacted to Putin’s statements and Trump’s initiatives.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Telegram that Ukraine was ready for talks at the level of leaders if the Russian side really wanted to end the war in a decent way.
“We hear statements from Russia, and if this is a signal of their serious readiness to end the war with dignity and establish a truly lasting peace, and not just an attempt to win more time for the war and delay sanctions, then Ukraine reaffirms its readiness for a meeting at the level of leaders at any time,” the head of state emphasized.
Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine, as well as the rest of the world, understands who makes decisions in Russia and with whom the main conversation should take place.
“Ukraine proposes to move from the exchange of statements to a dialogue at the level of leaders. America proposed it. Ukraine supported it. We need Russia’s readiness,” he added.
The President also thanked the United States and Donald Trump for their attempts to stop the war and achieve a just peace.
Last year in June, Putin first announced his “conditions for peace”: the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from four regions, rejection of NATO, “demilitarization”, “denazification” and the lifting of all sanctions against Russia. Ukraine rejected these demands as an ultimatum.
