By Elena Teslova
MOSCOW (AA) - Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova reiterated on Thursday that Moscow maintains its position on resolving the Ukrainian crisis as outlined by President Vladimir Putin in June last year.
Responding to a question from Anadolu during a press briefing in Moscow, Zakharova emphasized that Russia's negotiation stance has been "clearly and consistently" articulated by the president and further elaborated on international platforms by the foreign minister and diplomats.
"Our fundamental approaches to the settlement were announced long ago and even documented for clarity -- they were literally read from a sheet," she said.
In June 2024, Putin outlined Russia's key demands, which include the withdrawal of Ukrainian armed forces from Donbas, Ukraine's commitment to a neutral, non-aligned, and nuclear-weapon-free status, its refusal to join NATO, and the lifting of all Western sanctions.
Zakharova highlighted that these demands were translated into English for international audiences to ensure Russia's stance was widely understood.
She expressed concerns that any new agreements could face the same fate as the Minsk agreements -- international deals supported by Russia, France, and Germany, aimed at ending the conflict that began in 2014. The agreements, designed to end armed conflict in eastern Ukraine, were signed in Minsk in 2014 and 2015.
"After the start of Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine, former German and French leaders who signed the agreements admitted their purpose was to buy time for Ukraine to strengthen its military capabilities," Zakharova said.
"Those who were on the other side, supporting the Kyiv regime, had no intention of implementing the agreements. When they approved the documents and voted for them in the UN Security Council, they already regarded them as mere formalities -- just empty words. It's a matter of attitude," she said.
"Our position has been stated by the head of our state, repeatedly confirmed, and remains unchanged. It is publicly available for all to see."