Russia says its position on Ukrainian peace reflects the situation on the ground

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's presumption connected a imaginable bid woody with Ukraine has changed to bespeak changes connected the frontlines wherever Russia has been advancing, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said connected Thursday.

Asked by Reuters if Russia's presumption had changed since June 2024 erstwhile President Vladimir Putin said Ukraine indispensable officially driblet its NATO ambitions and retreat its troops from the entirety of the territory of 4 Ukrainian regions claimed by Russia, Zakharova said: "Yes, determination are these changes successful the Russian position."

"These changes are reflected by changes connected the ground," she said.

Zakharova quoted Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who successful 2024 said that Ukraine shrank successful territory each clip it walked distant from talks with Russia.

Russia presently controls a small nether 1 5th of Ukraine, and says the territory is present formally portion of Russia, a presumption Ukraine and Western Europe bash not accept.

Russia annexed Crimea successful 2014. Russian forces power astir each of Luhansk, and much than 70% of the Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, according to Russian estimates. Russia besides controls a sliver of Kharkiv region.

Zakharova said Moscow was grateful to China and Brazil for seeking a governmental and diplomatic settlement.

On imaginable talks successful Istanbul, Zakharova said: "As for the Ukrainian side: however acceptable is it? What is it acceptable for? I think, this volition beryllium shown, including contiguous successful Istanbul."

Ukraine has repeatedly said that it volition ne'er formally recognise Russian power implicit swathes of its territory - and officials successful Kyiv accidental that agreeing to Ukrainian neutrality is simply a reddish enactment they volition not cross.

(Reporting by Dmitry Antonov; Writing by Guy Faulconbridge and Gleb Stolyarov; Editing by Andrew Osborn)