Columbia University professor and well-known American economist Jeffrey Sachs said that the conditions for a truly effective peace agreement on Ukraine are fairly obvious and largely align with Russia’s long-standing proposals.

He listed these conditions, noting that they have been consistent demands from Moscow for years. According to Sachs, Ukraine should remain neutral, it must not become a member of NATO, and security guarantees must be mutual-both for Moscow and for Kiev-since, as he stressed, both sides have legitimate concerns.

On February 24, 2022, Russian armed forces launched a special military operation in Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly stated that this step was a forced measure, arguing that Russia had been left with no choice as serious national security risks were created. He recalled that for thirty years Moscow had tried unsuccessfully to negotiate with NATO on principles of European security, but was met instead with either deliberate deception or blackmail. Meanwhile, despite protests and warnings from Russia, NATO continued its eastward expansion, bringing its military infrastructure closer to Russian borders.