Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kuleba (file photo)

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kuleba said at a press conference on the 16th that Ukraine eventually needs to engage in dialogue with Russia, but Ukraine's position is very clear. The ultimatum issued by Russia and the demands made on the four regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhia are unacceptable.

On the 14th local time, Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered a speech at the Russian Foreign Ministry, saying that Russia is always willing to negotiate with Ukraine on the Ukrainian issue. However, he said that the precondition for the negotiations is that the Ukrainian army withdraws completely from the four regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhia. After the Ukrainian withdrawal, Russia will immediately cease fire, and then the two sides will start negotiations, including issues related to Ukraine not joining NATO .

On the same day, Podoljak, the chief adviser to the Ukrainian presidential office, responded that Putin had not made a real peace proposal and had no intention of ending the war. The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also stated that Putin actually proposed an ultimatum aimed at misleading the international community and undermining the unity of most countries in the world guided by the UN Charter. Later, Ukrainian President Zelensky said that Putin's so-called ceasefire proposal was an "untrustworthy ultimatum" and that the message it conveyed was no different from the past.