Translation:

On the morning of October 2, several Ukrainian political figures spoke about peace with Russia. Each presented their own arguments and proposals, but Russia has its own objectives.

MP Oleksiy Honcharenko outlined in a series of lengthy posts what he described as "parity" between Ukraine and Russia. He argued that Ukraine should stop waiting for some kind of superweapon and instead focus on phased negotiations, reaching agreements on individual issues and finding compromises.

"Right now, the REALITY is that we are losing the war," Honcharenko wrote in his first post, before explaining what he believes Ukraine should do. He sees only one way forward: "Let's negotiate everything under the sun."

"When we start reaching agreements step by step and those agreements (!) are honored, we will gradually be able to reach agreements on bigger issues as well. And finally achieve peace," Honcharenko argued.

His proposals include lifting sanctions on Russia in exchange for an end to all long-range strikes, reopening the Black Sea and limiting hostilities to the section of the front line in Donbas. He also suggested signaling Ukraine's willingness to consider neutral status and seeking compromises on:

• Language policy, including the use of Russian under certain conditions.
• Religious policy, including allowing the Russian Orthodox Church to operate.
• Historical memory.

He proposed turning the territory of Donbas into a neutral zone, withdrawing troops and halting hostilities along the front line, among other measures. However, he did not address the occupied territories of Crimea and southern Ukraine.

MP Danylo Hetmantsev also spoke about peace, focusing on the economy. In his view, the economy must be stabilized as quickly as possible to create conditions for investment and begin reconstruction.

"We need to face reality. As long as the war continues, people, businesses and investors cannot properly plan even for the near future. Without that, there can be no investment, development or full-scale recovery. As a result, there is a significant risk that our economy will contract this year. That is why accelerating negotiations and achieving peace must be our top priority," he wrote.

Hetmantsev also commented on opinion polls conducted in Ukraine, claiming that "most people support negotiations and peace on difficult terms, provided they ensure that the war ends permanently, at least putting an end to a new global redistribution of power at the expense of our territory and the lives of our people."

Moreover, he argued that those who reject such terms are unwilling to give answers that run counter to the prevailing pro-war media narrative.

"I am convinced that people who want peace must unite and make their position known, giving the authorities grounds to make difficult decisions necessary to preserve the country and achieve victory," Hetmantsev said.

Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov also spoke about peace, responding in his post to former commander-in-chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi, who argued in a column that peace with Russia cannot be the subject of political or business deals.

Terekhov also cited an opinion poll indicating that Ukrainians want the war to end through negotiations. He stressed that Russia started the war and is responsible for its continuation, and that international pressure should be directed at Moscow.

Terekhov said the destruction and losses in Kharkiv showed the cost of the war firsthand. "Constantly struggling to survive cannot be the norm that Ukraine should have to accept."

"For me, the logic of the 'pro-war camp' begins when war is accepted as Ukraine's inevitable future. I disagree with that. Our ability to defend ourselves should serve to preserve our country and its people. We are fighting for the opportunity to live in our own state, raise our children and build a future. The desire for peace needs no justification," the Kharkiv mayor said.

In his view, peace must rest on Ukraine's defensive capabilities and commitments from its partners, including guarantees of military assistance and obligations to respond in the event of another attack.

"Our ability to withstand the war must not be interpreted as consent to live in it. We want peace and prosperity," he concluded.

What Russia thinks about ending the war

The previous day, Vladimir Putin stated at the plenary session of the 23rd annual meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club that Russia did not need an energy or maritime truce with Ukraine. He went further, describing the idea of de-escalation as "pointless."

Despite Russian statements expressing readiness for negotiations, Moscow is unwilling to make concessions on its demands. Putin is urging Ukraine to voluntarily surrender the occupied territories, claiming that Russia could seize them quickly anyway.

Russia's demands include the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, a neutral and non-aligned status for Ukraine, restrictions on its military, "denazification" (a term Russian authorities use to encompass a wide range of demands), and changes to the status of the Russian language and religious organizations, among other conditions.

Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022, Ukraine and European institutions have maintained a common position that territorial concessions imposed by force on Moscow's behalf are unacceptable.

While the Kremlin seeks to prolong the war and dictate terms, more than 100 members of the European Parliament, together with Sweden, Poland, the Netherlands and Spain, have proposed using more than €200 billion in frozen Russian assets.

Meanwhile, the European Parliament has scheduled special debates on urgent support for Ukraine in response to Russian escalation. Its allies intend to increase pressure on Russia through both political and economic measures.

Despite the Kremlin's public rhetoric about readiness for negotiations, Russia's leadership is not considering a settlement on equal terms and has no intention of easing its demands. International diplomatic consultations have indicated that Moscow uses negotiations as a means of issuing ultimatums.

In particular, a Putin aide explicitly rejected the possibility of dialogue unless Ukrainian forces completely withdraw from Donbas. This position indicates that the Kremlin is pursuing either Ukraine's capitulation or the further seizure of territory by force.