Putin’s peace terms look like simple acknowledgement of the realities on the ground. From Tyler Durden at zerohedge.com:
Update(1244ET): Putin and Orban’s meeting reportedly lasted hours, with Putin emerging from it and telling a press conference he supports “a complete and final end” to the Ukraine conflict rather than “some kind of truce or cease-fire.” But he also stressed that for this to happen Ukrainian forces must withdraw from the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions – which are the four eastern territories which have been declared part of the Russian Federation.
He said that other terms of a permanent truce are “a subject for consideration.” He described, “Russia is committed to the complete and definitive resolution of the conflict. The conditions for this are outlined in my speech (to the Foreign Ministry) – the withdrawal of all troops from the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions.”
Importantly, he additionally acknowledged of Orban’s trip, “We perceive the prime minister’s visit as an attempt to restore dialogue and give it an additional impetus.”
Orban for his part said Hungary considers peace in Europe its main task during the presidency of the EU Council, despite other EU leaders condemning his visit to Moscow. Josep Borrell and others have insisted his trip is not being done in the name of the EU Council.
