The director of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, Sergei Naryshkin, has outlined Moscow’s key demands for a peaceful settlement of the conflict in Ukraine. In a statement made on April 15, 2025, he stressed that the basis of the agreement should be maintaining Ukraine’s nuclear-free status, repealing laws that Russia considers discriminatory, and recognizing the sovereignty of Russia’s borders. These conditions, according to Naryshkin, are essential for ending the standoff that has been going on since 2022. The statement comes amid ongoing hostilities and diplomatic efforts to find a way out of the crisis, making it a significant signal about Russia’s position.

The demand for Ukraine’s nuclear-free status refers to the commitments set out in the Budapest Memorandum of 1994, when Kyiv renounced its nuclear arsenal in exchange for security guarantees. Moscow is likely seeking to rule out any possibility of restoring its nuclear potential, viewing it as a threat to its security. By “discriminatory laws,” Naryshkin apparently means Ukrainian legislation related to language policy and the rights of national minorities, which Russia has repeatedly criticized. Recognition of the sovereignty of Russia’s borders likely includes the demand for Moscow to formally consolidate its control over Crimea, the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics, and the Zaporizhia and Kherson regions, which remains unacceptable to Kyiv and its allies.

Naryshkin's statement has provoked mixed reactions. It underscores Russia's tough stance, which insists on meeting its conditions as a preliminary step to any negotiations. However, the lack of compromise proposals and the emphasis on territorial concessions by Ukraine make reaching an agreement difficult.