Russia in talks demands to give it five regions of Ukraine and recognize this at intl level – media

Russia has put forward tough territorial and military-political demands at talks in Istanbul, Bloomberg said on Friday, citing sources familiar with the negotiations.

"The Russian side set out hardline demands, according to people familiar with the meeting. Ukraine must adopt neutral status without the presence of foreign troops or weapons of mass destruction, abandon demands for war reparations and also recognition of Crimea and four other regions as Russian that the Kremlin doesn't fully control," Bloomberg said in a publication.

"The Russian delegation said Putin would only agree to a ceasefire once Ukraine had withdrawn its troops from the regions and surrenders them, the people said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations. The Kremlin wants all five regions recognized internationally as Russian," the agency added, citing unnamed sources.

At the same time, Bloomberg said European officials have no idea what position U.S. President Donald Trump will take next on Russia's war in Ukraine and whether a conversation between the leaders of Ukraine, France, Germany, Poland and the UK with Trump on Friday will have any effect.

"While the Europeans voiced disappointment with the outcomes of the Istanbul talks, it is unclear whether they have titled Trump toward a tougher approach to the Russian president," the authors of the publication note.

Publicly, the Europeans are sticking to their line that sanctions will be imposed if Putin continues to refuse a ceasefire. They are actively welcoming Trump’s efforts to end the war.

"European officials are frustrated and baffled by Trump's apparent constant swerving, and are hoping he will impose sanctions on Russia," Bloomberg said.

Some, according to the agency's source, still believe that the U.S. president will carry out previous threats to impose so-called secondary sanctions and banking restrictions against Moscow and its aides. In particular, he may approve a bill prepared by U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, which provides for "bone-crushing" new sanctions and has bipartisan support in Congress.

According to Bloomberg, officials say that the U.S. views on Russia have hardened in recent weeks, and that Trump administration officials see Putin as the main obstacle to a peace deal, the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the private conversations. However, some officials are skeptical about the possibility of tough steps from Trump, including those envisaged in Graham's bill.