A document prepared for the Kremlin in February recommends Russia reject President Donald Trump’s proposed 100-day peace timeline for Ukraine while pursuing a strategy to weaken the US negotiating position, The Washington Post reports.
The document, written by a Moscow-based think tank with close ties to Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), outlines maximalist demands for ending the conflict, stating that “a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine crisis cannot happen before 2026.”
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According to the document, which was obtained by a European intelligence service and reviewed by The Washington Post, Russia should work to exacerbate tensions between the Trump administration and other countries while continuing efforts to dismantle the Ukrainian state.
Territorial demands and rejection of peacekeepers
The document explicitly rejects proposals to deploy peacekeepers to Ukraine, as suggested in some European plans, and demands recognition of Russia’s sovereignty over occupied Ukrainian territories.
It also calls for a buffer zone in northeastern Ukraine along the borders of Russia’s Bryansk and Belgorod regions, along with a demilitarized zone in southern Ukraine near Crimea, which Russia illegally annexed in 2014. This proposal would impact Odesa Oblast.
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Complete dismantling of Ukrainian government demanded
The document rejects any political concessions by Ukraine, including abandoning its NATO membership aspirations or permitting pro-Russian parties to participate in elections.
“In reality, the current Kyiv regime cannot be changed from inside the country. Its complete dismantling is needed,” the document states.
The document also rejects US plans to continue arming Ukraine after any peace deal as “absolutely unacceptable,” along with maintaining Ukraine’s current one-million-strong military.
Leveraging mineral resources and sanctions dismissal
According to WP, the document advises Russia to strengthen its negotiating position by offering the US access to Russian minerals, including those in occupied Ukrainian territories like Donbas, which it claims holds rare-earth metal reserves.
It also dismisses attempts to lure Russia into a peace deal by partially lifting sanctions.
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Diplomatic normalization first priority
The document advises that Russia should prioritize normalizing relations with Washington by restoring full diplomatic staffing and appointing Alexander Darchiev as ambassador to the United States. These recommendations surfaced publicly following Russian-US talks in Istanbul on 27 February.
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