Up on the TASS website within the hour!

[Tomconroy]

LONDON, March 7. /TASS/. Russia is demanding that Ukraine halt its military activity, enshrine neutrality in its Constitution, acknowledge Crimea as Russian territory and recognize independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with Reuters news agency on Monday.

Russia is ready to halt its military operation "in any moment" if Kiev meets its demands, Peskov emphasized.

"They should make amendments to their constitution according to which Ukraine would reject any aims to enter any bloc. We have also spoken about how they should recognize that Crimea is Russian territory and that they need to recognize that Donetsk and Lugansk are independent states. And that’s it. It will stop in a moment," Peskov told Reuters.

"And they [the Ukrainian side] were told that all this can be stopped in a moment," the Kremlin press secretary added.

[Scrivener7]

1. That's bullshit. A) Russia lies and won't halt its military operations any more than

it did for the negotiated ceasefire. And B) Russia doesn't get to dictate Ukraine's constitution or alliances. And C) Donetsk and Lugansk are parts of Ukraine and Russia waving a stick does not change that.

[JHB]

12. And Crimea

[orwell]

2. Translation...

"Ze beatings will not stop until morale improves!"

[PatSeg]

25. That is perfect!

[Celerity]

3. link

https://tass.com/politics/1418257

[JoanofArgh]

17. Here you go

Link to tweet

?s=21

Link to tweet

?s=21

[Irish_Dem]

19. So Russia does want his own government in Ukraine.

And I assume no democracy there.

[JoanofArgh]

38. Probably. If Ukraine accepted this, Zelensky would

probably just disappear one day. They’d get rid of hm somehow. Plus, Ukrainians will never sign a constitutional amendment to not join NATO. It’s stupid.

[Irish_Dem]

45. Right Zelensky will always be a threat to Putin.

So he will be killed or disappear.

Putin may keep Zelensky alive for awhile in order to humiliate him and make him grovel. He would love to rip away Zelensky's hero status.

[Walleye]

4. I say, promise them anything, but keep up the fierce insurgency.

Putin is not negotiating in good faith. There is no obligation to stick with any commitments made at the point of a missile

[Wicked Blue]

8. I agree. Putin doesn't keep promises,

so why should Ukraine?

[Walleye]

13. Exactly. We can't seem to go against our tradition of honesty and fair play even against a villain

[Tomconroy]

5. I think it's a basis for a settlement.

The reality was Crimea and the two provinces (borders yet to be determined though) were under Russian control before the invasion and Ukraine wasn't about to join NATO.
It's a start.
Ukraine really wants to join the EU.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

23. it is not a basis for a settlement.

Do you honestly believe that Putin will keep his word on this?
He's done nothing but lie so far, so I'm calling bullshit on his surrender terms, because that's what he's proposing, a surrender.

He's desperate, his vaunted military is turning out to be a joke, the sanctions are really starting to bite, the Russian people are stirring, Russian mothers are starting to question why their sons are dying, etc.

Nope, it should be rejected outright, he's trying to buy time to resupply and reorganize and then he'll press on despite this so-called proposal.

[lagomorph777]

31. Fuck NO.

I thought your OP was meant to point out how outrageous and crazy Putin's demands are.

Sheesh.

[Gore1FL]

41. It's the attempt to save face on the Russians.

It's stupidly lopsided in their favor, especially considering they are effectively losing.

[Wingus Dingus]

51. I think it is--this is how I thought it would go, actually--

except Ukraine needs to be part of the EU. They may not need NATO, we can supply them with everything, they're certainly bad-ass enough to defend themselves. They can be like the Israel of Eastern Europe.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

55. No, it isn't

it's a demand to surrender and should and probably will be rejected outright.

There is zero reason to trust that Putin would keep his word on this.

[Wingus Dingus]

64. The agreement would have to rock-solid, hopefully with other countries

not named Belarus and Russia involved to help broker it and create a security guarantee. If I were doing it, Russia would get the disputed regions IF they win a referendum, because they are a constant pretext for Russia meddling into Ukraine's affairs--Ukraine may not be as attached to them as people think. Crimea is gone and will stay gone. Ukraine will not join NATO for "x" number of years, in which time they can have one of the biggest and best-funded and trained militaries the free world can give them. Russia must respect the borders, their sovereignty, must respect and recognize Ukraine's elected government, and Ukraine can join any economic partnership it wishes. That's how I would do it.

[lagomorph777]

71. If Putin is a party to the agreement, it's completely fake. No such thing as rock-solid.

[Wingus Dingus]

73. I'm not saying any of this is genuine or trustworthy, but

at some point it will have to take shape.

[lagomorph777]

75. No; Putin will probably have to be deposed before anything but a de facto withdrawal can happen.

[Crunchy Frog]

69. If that were the case they wouldn't have bothered launching a full scale invasion.

Their word here is no more meaningful than it was with the ceasefire or with the Budapest Memorandum.

Putin's intention is to restore "Greater Russia" by "reunifying" with all of Ukraine.

[Scrivener7]

70. I think it reflects that Putin really wants to save some face and can't maintain

an attack much longer.

It will be interesting to see what Ukraine thinks of it. I hope they are not duped again like with the ceasefire corridor.

[TomSlick]

76. That would not be a settlement, it would be a surrender.

If Zelensky agreed, he would be executed by his own people as a traitor.

[secondwind]

6. Looks like Russia has blinked first.

Let’s steamroll over them NOW, we may win this war yet!!!!!

[BeyondGeography]

7. They're trying to buy time and re-supply their army

They’re also losing, economically, politically and even militarily. They will never control Ukraine.

On the flip side, they are cornered rats with nukes.

We need to impose permanent damage on Putin. He can not be allowed to claim victory. The eastern “republics” are a total non-starter IMO.

Finer minds can figure this out.

[JoanofArgh]

9. Ukraine rejected it. As they should.

[Tomconroy]

14. Link?

[msfiddlestix]

10. Russia is making outrageous demands. FU Putler!

[Tomconroy]

11. Does anyone realize the horror Ukraine faces if this war

Continues? Cities reduced to rubble and starvation?

[lagomorph777]

33. It seems Russia is in deeper trouble than Ukraine at this point.

Is that what's got you worried?

[Tomconroy]

34. Are Russian buildings being shelled? Russian civilians being

Slaughtered?

[lagomorph777]

35. You seem to want Ukraine to surrender to Putin's demands.

You seem to want this more than the citizens of Ukraine do.

Care to explain why?

[MarineCombatEngineer]

37. Why are you so intent on pushing these surrender terms

when the Ukrainian people are fighting so hard and have given no indication that they prefer to surrender than fight?

[Tomconroy]

39. Why are you willing to see civilians continue to be slaughtered?

[MarineCombatEngineer]

42. Very cute.

Answer a question with a question.

Again, why are you so intent on pushing the Ukrainians to surrender when the Ukrainian military, along with the good people of Ukraine, have shown no inclination to surrender and are still fighting?

[Gore1FL]

43. They seem to believe the horrors of living under Putin to be worse.

A Ukrainian surrender at this point is not going to happen. This is what that deal amounts to.

[Wingus Dingus]

54. Ukraine is going to lose some. But Russia is the BIG BIG loser.

Ukraine in the end will be seen as having won, even if the disputed areas are taken away (and all they did was serve as an excuse for Russia to meddle and invade anyway).

[COL Mustard]

15. And Ukraine replies:

Hey Russia, Idi Na Khui (Sit on a dick)!

[blogslug]

16. Of course TASS would spell it "Kiev"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KyivNotKiev

Just another Russian rug-pull.

[C_U_L8R]

18. Nuts.

[Elwood P Dowd]

28. Bastogne!

[Chainfire]

20. Any guesses as to what the reply may be?

Yea, that.

The Ukrainians should reply, "The only terms that we will accept is unconditional surrender."

[Floyd R. Turbo]

21. 🖕🏻🇷🇺 ❗️

[Happy Hoosier]

22. Translation: We got our ass kicked and need to time to regroup...

.... before resuming the offensive.

Don't trust them. Don't give up an inch. An especially don't give the right to join NATO unless you just want to do this again in a few years.

[ForgedCrank]

26. This is my

take on things as well, or at least it looks that way as of right now.
At least on the surface, it appears that the Russian operation has been a logistics failure up to this point more than anything, but time will allow them to correct that.
Anyone who has ever trusted Putin has lived to regret it in one way or another.

[Happy Hoosier]

65. 100% agree. They can't even honor a temporary cease-fire. NT

[peggysue2]

67. That was my first reaction

They're not only getting their asses kicked but the continuing sanctions will bring about an economic collapse, more Russians in the streets and many more elites screeching about Putin's folly. This is all about holding onto power.

And no, the man cannot be trusted on anything. He thought he was going to roll over the Ukrainians and the Western Alliance would step aside while he did it. That did not happen.

Don't give this bastard an inch because if the Ukrainians do, Putin will be back to finish the job he couldn't complete this time. The West needs to ramp up support and run this man back to the Kremlin.

We all have a stake in the outcome. The decision, of course, is for the Ukrainians to make; it's their blood being spilled.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

27. This is nothing more than Russian propaganda. nt.

[lagomorph777]

32. The OP's responses throughout this thread are rather...curious.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

36. Yes they are. nt

[Ilsa]

29. All of the oblasts from Bolgorod to St Petersberg should

become part of Ukraine, Belarus, Latvia, and Estonia, and give Uk access to the Gulf of Finland. Russia must leave Crimea, Georgia, etc.

[nycbos]

30. An agreement with Putin isn't worth the paper it's printed on.

The Ukrainian people should get to decide if they want to join the EU or NATO etc. Not Russia.

This sounds awfuly like a Munich agreeement to me.

[Tomconroy]

40. You have to start talking somewhere.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

44. They can start talking when Putin's forces leave Ukraine without any conditions,

otherwise, it's bullshit because there is no way Putin will keep his word and I've gotta wonder why you keep on pushing this surrender proposal from Putin.

[Tomconroy]

47. Do you know how the Cuban Missile Crisis ended?

It ended with a deal. They withdraw missiles from Cuba and we withdraw missiles from Turkey
A negotiated deal.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

49. Yes I do,

I was in High School, but that's irrelevant, the Soviet Union didn't invade Cuba, so there's no comparison.

Again, why are you pushing so hard for this surrender proposal from Putin when the Ukrainians have given zero indication of surrendering?

What's your motive here?

[Tomconroy]

53. Since I was the only one on DU who wanted to commit US forces

To intervene I think my motives are pretty good.
My motive is to stop the slaughter. Your motive is apparently to fight to the last Ukranian.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

58. It's not my motive,

it's the Ukrainians motive.

[Tomconroy]

59. The Ukranians will talk on 3/10. Can we agree on: Immediate

cease fire and enhanced sanctions?

[MarineCombatEngineer]

62. Of course.

Aye matey, we've reached an accord.

[Tomconroy]

66. Good. That's what I think the initial response should be.

One step at a time. But in negotiations everyone needs ato be willing to compromise some

[Gore1FL]

46. Total capitulation is not that place, however. nt

[Tomconroy]

48. Anyone remember this?

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukrainian-president-does-not-exclude-holding-referendum-crimea-donbass-2021-12-10/

[MarineCombatEngineer]

52. Yeah,

that was before Putin's illegal invasion, notice I bolded the word illegal, that's all off the table now.

I can't seem to fathom why you want the Ukrainians to surrender when the Ukrainians themselves don't want to surrender.

[Tomconroy]

56. How many dead Ukranians are you willing to sacrifice?

I assume, unlike me, you aren't willing to commit US forces

[MarineCombatEngineer]

60. It's not up to me to decide, it's up to the Ukrainians,

you know, the people whose country Putin illegally invaded.

I assume, unlike me, you aren't willing to commit US forces

Ever been in combat? Ever seen the horrors of war?

That's why I'm opposed to committing US forces unless Russian forces step one boot on NATO soil.

[Tomconroy]

61. Then why don't you wait and see what the Ukranians decide to do?

[lpbk2713]

50. They're blinking.

But they have to do a lot better than that.

[Happy Hoosier]

74. I think that is accurate, but...

… I’m not sure how useful it is. I hope it’s driven by Putin’s fear tgat he cannot achieve his military objectives.

[Lettuce Be]

57. Give us all your money and we will stop robbing you!

[myohmy2]

63. "..halt its military operation "in any moment".."

...I don't think I would trust or believe Adolph Putin killer of Slavs and destroyer of cities...

...he's an evil dictator, a chronic liar and a friend of trump...

"...all this can be stopped in a moment," the Kremlin press secretary added."

...well then, that's different as long as the Kremlin press secretary says so...

...

[DFW]

68. Somebody in Russia heard Country Joe McDonald, and realized it was no longer a laughing matter

"Be the first one on your block to have your boy come home in a box"

[Thunderbeast]

72. Counter proposal:

1. Russia leaves ALL of Ukraine (including Crimea and eastern provinces) immediately.

2. Kaliningrad is ceded Poland, Lithuania or both.

3. Russia agrees to pay $1 Trillion in reparation in gold.

4. Russia, Moldova and Belarus to maintain a 300 km DMZ around Ukraine borders.

5. Elections supervised by international observers to be held in a re-constituted Belarus.

6. Ukraine stops shooting Russian troops as they withdraw...without their weapons, tanks, APCs, etc.

I think this is a reasonable proposal. Let the Russian generals deal with their disgraced leader.

[tblue37]

77. And like the scorpion, when they get to the other side of the river, Russia will sting

them and say, "I'm a scorpion. You know it is my nature to sting!"

Or, in another version of the story, "You knew I was a snake before you took me in."

[radius777]

78. No way. If Russia can't be trusted on humanitarian corridors,

they cannot be trusted for other things. Also the terms are shit. Russia needs to leave all of the countries they've invaded and compromised (Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, Belarus).

Start with humanitarian corridors and ceasefire on civiliian populations. If Russia keeps its word, Ukraine could easily keep fighting with weapons/supplies from the West and keep Russia bogged down for years until they cry uncle.

Russia/Putin has to be defeated now in Ukraine. If Russia takes Ukraine, there is a possibility Putin would get further delusions of grandeur and think he could strike a NATO country (ie, Baltics) which could trigger WWIII.