In early 2022, Russia presented Ukraine with a peace treaty that seemed more like a demand for surrender. The treaty, known as the Treaty on the Settlement of the Situation in Ukraine and Ukraine's Neutrality, was given to the Ukrainian delegation in March. It included a long list of one-sided conditions. For example, Ukraine was asked to cut its army size by 80%. This would leave Ukraine with only a tiny fraction of its military force. The treaty even demanded Ukraine to stop all weapons research.

What's more, Russia wanted Ukraine to give up its claims on certain regions, like Crimea and parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk areas. This deal was handed over just a few months before Russia announced it had annexed two more regions, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.

Former U. S. envoy to Moscow, John J. Sullivan, who was part of the negotiations, has called these initial talks "sham diplomacy. " He said that Russia wasn't serious about finding a real solution. Their representatives just read from scripts and weren't allowed to discuss or negotiate. Even Russia's foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, followed this script.

The treaty also offered only a ceasefire and promised not to occupy more territory. But it didn't mention anything about Russia pulling out its forces from Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has made it clear that peace talks cannot start until Russia stops bombing Ukraine's infrastructure. He has a "Victory Plan" that includes strengthening Ukraine's defenses and inviting Ukraine to join NATO.

Many Ukrainians support Zelensky's stance. They believe that Putin's ultimate goal is to destroy Ukraine's sovereignty and identity. They see any territorial concessions in return for peace as a bad deal.

The peace treaty Russia offered Ukraine at the start of the war shows that Putin likely had no intention of a real resolution. Instead, he wanted Ukraine to give up and become part of Russia's sphere of influence.

Putin's First Peace Offer: A Closer Look

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