Secret Document Reveals… What Does Russia Want from Ukraine?

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The Washington Post has revealed the existence of a secret document prepared by a research center close to Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), outlining Russia’s demands regarding Ukraine.

This document, drafted in February, sets Russia’s conditions for ending the conflict in Ukraine, rejecting former President Donald Trump’s initial plans to reach a peace agreement within 100 days, calling them “impossible to achieve.” It states that “a peaceful resolution to the Ukrainian crisis cannot be reached before 2026.”

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The document emphasizes the need for Russia to weaken the United States’ negotiating position on a peace agreement in Ukraine by fueling tensions between Washington and the rest of the world.

It also recommends rejecting any initiative to deploy peacekeeping forces in Ukraine, as proposed by several European countries, arguing that they would be “under significant Western influence.”

The document considers U.S. plans to continue arming Ukraine “completely unacceptable,” as well as maintaining Ukraine’s military at its current strength of one million soldiers.

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It further suggests that Russia should push for greater division within Ukraine by establishing a buffer zone in the country’s northeast, bordering Russian territory, along with a demilitarized zone near Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014. The latter would also impact the Odessa region.

Additionally, the document discusses the need for the “complete dismantling” of Ukraine’s current government.

The document, obtained by a European intelligence agency and reviewed by The Washington Post, highlights the challenges Trump faces in negotiating any agreement with Russia on peace in Ukraine, especially after Kyiv backed Washington’s proposal for a 30-day ceasefire, signaling a growing alignment between the two countries.

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It outlines ways for Russia to strengthen its negotiating position by stoking tensions between the U.S., China, and the European Union. It also suggests allowing Washington access to Russian minerals, including those found in Russian-controlled territories in Ukraine, such as the Donbas region, where significant reserves of rare earth minerals are located.

The document rejects political concessions from Ukraine as insufficient and insists that “the Kyiv regime cannot be changed from within the country—it must be completely dismantled.”

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Although Russia has shown no indication of agreeing to a ceasefire, analysts warn that Moscow has numerous ways to delay even agreeing to a temporary pause in hostilities, making the path to a lasting peace agreement highly uncertain.

Thomas Graham, former director of Russian affairs at the U.S. National Security Council under George W. Bush, stated: “This is not just about Ukraine’s domestic politics—it’s about Europe’s security architecture and, in particular, NATO’s role. A simple ceasefire that does not address these issues will not interest Russia, and Trump seems unaware of this.”

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