𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

These are all key demands of Russian President Vladimir Putin, with little obvious concessions to be made by the Kremlin as part of the plan.

Nonetheless, Moscow has been publicly cautious.

“Officially, we have not received anything,” spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Friday. “Moreover, we are learning some things from the press even though our contacts have not stopped, and we have never stopped them,” he said. “There are certain considerations on the American side, but at the moment nothing substantive is being discussed,” he added.

He warned Zelenskyy to negotiate now, before it’s too late. “The regime needs to make a responsible decision,” he said.

The emergence of the plan comes at one of the most politically-charged moments for Ukraine since the full-scale invasion.

Already facing battlefield setbacks, the government is now mired in a $100 million corruption scandal that has embroiled a number of high-profile figures, some with close ties to Zelenskyy.

Prosecutors have named Umerov as one of the officials allegedly implicated in the kickback scheme. He has denied any involvement and is not currently facing any charges, continuing his work in the government. Zelenskyy’s name has so far not figured in the investigation.

The timing is viewed by Ukrainian officials as no coincidence, a source close to the Ukrainian government said, and they see it as a likely attempt by the Kremlin to take advantage of a potentially weakened Ukrainian leadership.

Putin, appearing in a military uniform as he received reports from the front lines, said Thursday the corruption scandal showed that Zelenskyy’s government was “sitting on golden pots” without concern for its people or soldiers.

Putin and his entourage have themselves been subject of numerous corruption investigations throughout his 25-year rule.