EU demands for Russia for a peace deal with Ukraine. The withdrawal of troops from Transnistria, among them

The head of foreign diplomacy, Kaia Kallas, sent to EU member states a document entitled “Europe's fundamental interests in ensuring a comprehensive, just and sustainable peace and security of the continent”, with a list of steps that Russia must take to achieve peace in Ukraine. It includes reducing the size of the Russian army, withdrawing it from the territory of neighboring states, paying reparations and implementing democratic reforms, Radio Liberty reports.

Russian troops in Transnistria/PHOTO: X

Despite the fact that the EU is not directly represented at the negotiating table, which Ukraine, Russia and the US have been holding in recent months, its countries finance a significant part of the support given to Kiev, the document says. It also contains points related to the competence of the European Union, in particular with regard to Ukraine's accession to the EU. Europeans argue that without their participation in negotiations and consideration of their interests, a lasting peace is impossible.

“Achieving peace is not just about concessions from Ukraine. We also need to discuss what Russia should do before sending any emissaries there,” one European official said, while another called the EU's demands “maximalist”, adding that they were in line with what the Russians had presented.

What concessions does Brussels demand:

– if Kiev agrees to reduce the forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and withdraw from some areas on the front, Moscow must do the same;

– there is no need to recognize the “de jure” occupied territories, they must be demilitarized;

-The Russian Federation must stop disinformation campaigns, sabotage, cyber attacks and airspace violations against Europe;

-The Russians cannot interfere in the elections of European countries and neighboring states;

-nuclear weapons must be withdrawn from the territory of Belarus;

– to also abandon the Russian military presence in Belarus, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Georgia and Armenia;

– to prohibit a general amnesty for war crimes in the Russian Federation;

– The Russian Federation must ensure the access of international investigators to the places where possible crimes were committed;

-international obligations should have priority over the domestic legislation of the Russian Federation;

-Russia must pay reparations to Ukraine, European states and companies and compensate for environmental damage;

– the organization of elections in the Russian Federation under international supervision;

– the release of political prisoners;

– the return of deported civilians and children;

– respecting the principles of press freedom;

-repeal of legislation in the Russian Federation that restricts the activities of independent media and civil society;

– The Russian Federation must cooperate in the investigation into the death of opposition politicians Aleksei Navalnyi and Boris Nemtsov.

According to Radio Liberty, EU ambassadors are to discuss the document. After that, some of its provisions could be submitted for consideration by the foreign ministers of the EU bloc on February 23.

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