June 16, 2025, Moscow, Russia: On June 16, Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko told Izvestia that Russia will demand any ceasefire call for the full dismantling and destruction of weapons provided by the West to Ukraine. He said Moscow expects Ukraine to lower the number of these weapons, destroy them, and guarantee they’re removed but he didn’t give any details about when or how it would be confirmed.
Key points
| Demand | Details |
| Destroy Western arms | Grushko: “All these surpluses must be destroyed. All international algorithms are known.” |
| Annexation must be recognized | Russia says Ukraine must agree that Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson are Russian regions now. |
| No NATO, no Western aid | On the list are demands to end all Western military support and spy sharing, and for Ukraine to take its soldiers back and disband them. |
| Ukraine rejects ultimatum | President Zelensky brushed off the “memorandum” saying it’s an ultimatum Ukraine won’t accept. |
During negotiations in Istanbul on June 2, Russia came with a peace memorandum asking Ukraine to pull back forces, demilitarize, acknowledge annexed territory, and end Western military backing. Ukraine made a counterproposal that focused on humanitarian issues like exchanging prisoners, returning abducted children, and creating clear pathways to join the EU and NATO but it did not accept Russia’s territorial demands. Despite two rounds of talks in May and June, the media reported no breakthrough. Kyiv says it will not accept the seized areas as part of Russia and will not give up the weapons it gets from the West.
Grushko warned that foreign weapons are a danger even outside Ukraine. He called it crazy how careless some leaders are by pushing more weapons into the world, saying they might land in illegal hands. However, inspections by Ukraine and Western military teams prove that Western arms are used just for defense.
Earlier, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov made it clear he wants arms shipments to end if there’s a ceasefire, or else Ukraine could stock up on weapons and get its troops ready again.
Peskov agreed with Putin that arms shipments from the U.S. and Europe give Kyiv an upper hand in the ceasefire. Russia says it won’t stop fighting unless Ukraine gives up its weapons and agrees that Russia keeps the land it has taken.
Russia says it will not agree to stop the war until Ukraine lays down its weapons and accepts the land Russia now controls. In late May Reuters reported that Putin had asked Western leaders in writing to prevent NATO from expanding into Ukraine and also asked them to ease sanctions and protect Russian speakers. Ukrainian and Western officials turned down these demands without a second thought.
On June 10, President Zelensky shared that Russia admitted their plan was basically an ultimatum and Kyiv would not agree to it. He made it clear that Ukraine wants to exchange prisoners, fix the damage using Russia’s frozen money, and become part of NATO and the EU. Allies in the West are sharing their worries. U.S. officials warn Moscow might boost drone attacks. Ukraine has dealt with more than 300 each night. NATO countries say Ukraine still needs help to stand strong against Russian pressure. With Russia bombing Kharkiv, Odesa, and Kyiv it shows why more defense aid is needed.
There’s still no agreement, so the clashes might heat up even more this summer. Analysts say Moscow will keep launching offensives to build more leverage before any diplomatic pause.
Russia’s tough attitude and ongoing strikes mean the Kremlin wants to fight until it reaches all its main goals. For Ukraine, agreeing would mean giving up Western weapons, handing over land, dropping plans to join NATO, and letting Russia hold sway. Ukraine and the nations supporting it stand firm that these are non-negotiable.
Timeline of Key Events
- June 2: Russia presents memorandum at Istanbul talks
- June 10: Zelensky calls the document “an ultimatum”.
- June 16: Grushko’s statements in Izvestia reiterate weapons-destruction demand.
As of June 16, 2025, Moscow is still standing firm. Russia’s ceasefire idea counts on taking away Ukraine’s Western support and making it surrender territory. Ukraine has turned down these demands, standing by its right to protect itself with support from friends and keep its land whole. With no progress in talks, it looks like battles might get even more fierce soon.
