The conditions set by Russia for ending the war with Ukraine have remained unchanged throughout the full-scale invasion and are equivalent to a demand for the complete capitulation of the Ukrainian side, analysts from the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) note.
"Putin and other Kremlin officials have repeatedly demanded conditions for ending the war that amount to the total capitulation of Ukraine, including the removal of the legitimate Ukrainian government and the demilitarization of Ukraine. These demands have not changed since 2021," the report states.
At the same time, analysts highlight that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has outlined the conditions that need to be met to encourage Russia to agree to a "just peace," and he has also stated that Ukrainian missiles and drones serve as "Ukraine's arguments for a just peace."
ISW also points out that Kremlin officials, including Putin, have repeatedly employed deliberate distortions of Ukrainian laws and the constitution to assert that Zelensky is allegedly an illegitimate president of Ukraine, after Ukraine did not hold elections under martial law in 2024, in accordance with its laws and constitution. "The Ukrainian government legally cannot lift martial law while Russia continues to attack Ukraine," the report emphasizes.
Source: https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-january-3-2025