ISW reports that Russia is demanding new territorial concessions from Ukraine.

The Permanent Representative of Russia to the UN, Vasily Nebenzya, stated during a Security Council meeting on February 17 that Ukraine has "irretrievably lost" the territories occupied by Russia and must concede additional parts of its regions. This information was reported by UNN with a link to an analytical report from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

Details

According to Nebenzya, Crimea, along with the occupied parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions, has allegedly become "forever" part of Russia. He also asserted that Ukraine should agree to a revision of territorial borders in the framework of peace negotiations, surrendering to Russia the territories of Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions currently controlled by Kyiv.

Nebenzya further emphasized that future Ukraine should be a neutral state without membership in military alliances and without the right to join security blocs.

ISW analysts noted that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, speaking on the same day, rejected the possibility of any territorial concessions from Russia.

Key takeaways from ISW on February 17:

• The Kremlin reiterated its demands for Ukraine to transfer additional territories to Russia in the east and south of Ukraine and to disband Ukrainian troops in the future, continuing to assert that it does not wish to make territorial concessions in any future peace negotiations.
• Lavrov and Nebenzya also categorically rejected European involvement in future peace talks and accused European countries of aggressive attitudes toward Russia.
• It appears that the Kremlin is also reverting to previous demands from Putin and information operations aimed at delegitimizing Ukraine and its government in the eyes of the West—particularly ahead of the bilateral meeting between Russia and the U.S. on February 18 in Saudi Arabia.
• One of the members of Putin's inner circle, who was considered a likely negotiator, is not included in the Russian delegation participating in the Russian-American talks in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) on February 18.
• Ukrainian troops continue to strike Russian energy facilities that support the Russian military with drones.
• The Russian command continues to issue orders for the execution of Ukrainian prisoners of war at the front lines.
• Unidentified sources informed Bloomberg that Russia seems to be nearing an agreement with the Syrian interim government to maintain a "reduced" military presence in Syria.
• Russian troops have advanced near Toretsk, Pokrovsk, Kurakhovo, and Velyka Novosilka.
• Russian occupation authorities continue to violate the Geneva Convention by calling on the civilian population of occupied Ukraine to serve in the Russian army.

Reminder

Peskov stated that Russia has changed its approach to negotiations with Ukraine due to an alleged lack of sovereignty. The Kremlin also claims that any future agreements with Ukraine will be invalid.

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