There is no “realistic basis” for media reports of an alleged territory-for-security guarantees scheme for Ukraine, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has said. His remarks came after the Financial Times claimed that certain Ukrainian and Western officials believe Kiev should stop trying to recapture by force the territories it has lost to Russia since 2014.
The British newspaper reported last week that the plan assumes that “meaningful security guarantees could form the basis of a negotiated settlement in which Russia retains de facto, but not de jure, control of all or part of the Ukrainian territory.” This approach would imply “tacit acceptance that those lands should be regained through diplomatic means in the future,” the outlet suggested.
Speaking on Monday, Peskov stated that “there are lots of publications in this regard now, a lot of various scholasticism and so on. But there is no realistic basis behind any of these discussions.”
Commenting on the FT’s claim, Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky insisted in a video address on Saturday that he was intent on guaranteeing “reliable peace and security” for his country “without any bargaining over sovereignty or trading territories.”
Zelensky added that his administration would continue promoting his ‘victory plan’ in the West. While not made public, several media outlets have reported that Zelensky’s roadmap calls for NATO-like Western security guarantees for Kiev as well as the continuation of Ukraine’s incursion into Russia’s Kursk Region and deliveries of “specific” Western-made advanced weapons.
According to Bloomberg, the Ukrainian leader received a tepid response when he presented his vision to US President Joe Biden and other senior officials in Washington last month.
Earlier this year, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow was prepared to immediately declare a ceasefire and start peace negotiations as soon as Ukraine withdraws troops from the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics and Kherson and Zaporozhye Regions. In August, however, Putin ruled out any engagement with Kiev as long as Ukrainian forces are occupying parts of Kursk Region.
The Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics and Kherson and Zaporozhye Regions joined Russia in 2022 after holding referendums. Crimea had similarly become part of Russia as a result of a referendum in 2014.