RE: From Poly13 Feb 2023 12:05
Russia demanded the following in Feb 2022:
1) Cede Crimea to Russia. I'm not going to elaborate much except to say unlike Alaska (which US bought from Russia in 1867 for $7m), Crimea was given to Ukraine (without any quid pro quo few decades ago) and Russia just wanted it back.
2) Ukraine to drop accession ambitions to NATO membership in line with Minsk agreement
3) Ukraine to provide devolved governmants for the Donbas region (similar to Scotland, Wales, N Ireland assemblies in UK) which are predominatly ethnic Russian
4) Ukraine to enshrine protection for Russian language and culture in its constitution (Zelensky was going rampant in eliminating all things Russian even in predominantly Russian areas since taking power)
5) Reign in on the right wing elements in Eastern Ukraine eg. Azov Batallion which Russia claimed Zelensky embraced and who were making life difficult for ethnic Russians.
If Zelensky and Ukraine could go back in time, they would accept all the above without any hesitation, but things have moved on and they have put themselves in a very difficult position. I think the end agreement will look lot like the above, but not until both sides have had one more go at obliterating each other comes the spring. Russia wants to end the war and Ukraine wants to join the EU asap for prosperity which cannot happen until war ends.