President Vladimir Putin stated that for peace between Russia and Ukraine, Ukraine must remain neutral.

He emphasized the importance of Ukraine's borders aligning with the preferences of those in Russian-claimed territories.

Putin highlighted that without neutrality, amicable relations between the two nations are hard to sustain.

Russia had previously recognized Ukraine's post-Soviet boundaries with the expectation of neutrality.

However, NATO, led by the United States, has expressed that Ukraine may join the alliance in the future.

Putin warned that a non-neutral Ukraine could be manipulated against Russian interests.

Currently, Russia occupies about 20% of Ukraine after over two and a half years of conflict.

In June, Putin stated his terms for peace, requiring Ukraine to relinquish NATO aspirations and withdraw troops from Russian-claimed regions.

Ukraine has rejected these terms, viewing them as akin to surrender, with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy seeking further Western assistance for his own victory plan.

Putin emphasized the need for Ukraine to remain sovereign and not act as a third-party tool.

Regarding Ukraine's borders, he insisted they should reflect the decisions of residents in historically Russian-claimed areas.

Conversely, Ukraine firmly avows the expulsion of Russian forces, a task seen by many, including US generals, as demanding significant resources Ukraine currently lacks.