ASTANA, July 4. /TASS/. The recent proposal on Ukraine put forward by Russia could put an immediate end to hostilities, given readiness on the part of Kiev and the West, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Astana.
"In mid-June, we presented another proposal toward resolving [the Ukraine conflict] that, given readiness on the part of the Ukrainian side and, most importantly, its Western sponsors, would make it possible to put an end to hostilities, save human lives and launch talks literally immediately," the Russian leader reiterated.
Putin also thanked SCO member countries for their efforts in pursuit of the same goal. "Dear colleagues, we are grateful to members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization for their proposals toward resolving this conflict. Russia is certainly ready to consider your ideas and initiatives," he said.
At a meeting with senior Russian diplomats on June 14, Putin said that the previous system of Euro-Atlantic security had collapsed as he proposed building a new architecture that would take account of everybody’s concerns.
The president also put forward new terms for peace talks on Ukraine. These include pulling out Ukrainian troops from the four new Russian regions and lifting all Western sanctions on Russia. He also demanded that Kiev drop its bid for NATO membership and Ukraine’s non-aligned and non-nuclear status be enshrined.