Putins Peace Demands: Written Guarantees Against NATO Expansion and Sanctions Relief Amid Ongoing War in Ukraine

President Vladimir Putin’s conditions for ending the conflict in Ukraine include a formal written commitment from Western leaders to halt NATO’s eastward expansion and to lift certain sanctions on Russia, as revealed by three Russian sources familiar with the discussions.

U.S. President Donald Trump has consistently expressed his desire to put an end to the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War II. Recently, he has shown mounting frustration towards Putin, cautioning that the Russian leader is «playing with fire» by not engaging in ceasefire negotiations with Kyiv while his forces continue to make advances on the ground.

After a lengthy discussion with Trump that lasted over two hours last week, Putin indicated his willingness to collaborate with Ukraine on a memorandum aimed at outlining the framework for a peace agreement, including the timeline for a ceasefire. Russia is currently in the process of drafting its version of this memorandum but cannot predict how long that will take.

Kyiv and European officials have accused Moscow of stalling to gain ground in eastern Ukraine.

«Putin is prepared to seek peace, but not at any cost,» stated a high-ranking Russian figure knowledgeable about Kremlin’s top-tier discussions, who requested anonymity.

These three Russian sources indicated that Putin demands a «written» assurance from key Western nations against further NATO enlargement, which effectively means excluding Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova from membership.

Moreover, Russia seeks Ukraine’s neutrality, the lifting of some Western sanctions, a resolution regarding frozen Russian assets abroad, and protections for Russian speakers within Ukraine, according to the sources.

The first source mentioned that if Putin realizes he cannot secure a peace agreement on his own terms, he may demonstrate through military action that «peace tomorrow will be even more difficult.»

The Kremlin did not respond to requests for comments on Reuters’ report. Putin and other Russian officials have repeatedly asserted that any peace agreement must tackle the «root causes» of the conflict, which they define as the objectives of «denazifying» and demilitarizing Ukraine.

Kyiv has consistently maintained that Russia should not be allowed a veto over its ambitions to join NATO, emphasizing the need for strong security guarantees from the West to deter potential future Russian aggression.

Trump, who values his amicable relationship with Putin and believes the Russian leader desires peace, has warned that Washington might impose additional sanctions if Moscow delays efforts to negotiate a resolution. On social media, Trump suggested over the weekend that Putin had «gone absolutely CRAZY» for launching an unprecedented aerial assault on Ukraine last week.

The first Russian source noted that if Putin identifies a tactical advantage on the battlefield, he would escalate military action in Ukraine, asserting that the Kremlin believes Russia could sustain operations for years, regardless of the sanctions and economic hardships imposed by the West.

A second source indicated that Putin has become less willing to compromise on territorial matters, maintaining his public stance that he seeks control over all four eastern Ukrainian regions claimed by Russia.

«Putin has hardened his position,» remarked the second source regarding the territorial question.