Solutions to end the conflict are not easy, as neither country is giving in. And above all, because the Kremlin believes that “Ukraine is Russia” and the country, which has been independent for more than thirty years, should be under the orders of Moscow. An example is the “Russian formula” that Medvedev is demanding to end the war, reports La Razon, as cited by Rador Radio Romania.

Medvedev already suggested dividing Ukraine a few months ago, presenting a map dividing Ukrainian territory between Kyiv, Moscow and other neighboring countries such as Hungary, Romania and Poland.

“The territory of both banks of the Dnieper is an integral part of Russia’s historical strategic borders,” Medvedev said, adding that “Ukraine is unequivocally Russia.”

Thus, as the former president of the country and head of the Security Council of the Russian Federation assured, Moscow will capture the eastern and central part of Ukraine. Romania and Hungary will occupy small regions in the east of the country, and Poland – most of the east. Only a small territory on the map, the Kyiv region, would remain with Ukraine.

As an alternative, Medvedev proposed the “formula of the Russian world”, which would not consist in the division of the country, as he projected, but by other methods. In this way, the ex-president proposes to deprive Ukraine of its military legal personality, as well as prohibit it from joining any military alliances without the consent of Russia.

However, he believes that this needs to be controlled by the Russian authorities, given Ukraine’s unchanging intentions to join the European Union and NATO. Therefore, Russia would create a provisional parliament, which would lead to the resignation of all constitutional authorities in the “former Ukraine” and the holding of elections to the provisional parliament.

In his Telegram channel, Medvedev explained that “the peace formula is based on the fact that we do not see a desire to negotiate on the part of the so-called former Ukraine.” “The only peace formula that Ukraine recognizes today is brainless and proposed by a provincial clown in green tights,” he added.

Russia wants to seize more Ukrainian territories to create a “buffer zone” on the border

The Kremlin announced on Monday that it plans to create a buffer zone on its border with Ukraine to ensure its own territories are safe from attacks by Kyiv, confirming a statement made late on Sunday by Vladimir Putin, Reuters reported.

Remains of Russian tanks destroyed during the war in Ukraine Photo: Efrem Lukatsky / AP – The Associated Press / Profimedia

“Against the background of (Ukrainian) drone attacks and shelling of our territory, public facilities, and residential buildings, it is necessary to take measures to ensure the security of these territories,” Kremlin spokesman Dmytro Peskov said on Monday.

“They can only be protected by creating some kind of buffer zone so that whatever means the enemy uses to hit us is out of range,” he added.

The explanation offered by the Kremlin at a press conference came after Vladimir Putin announced the intention in a speech on Sunday night following his victory in Russia’s presidential election.

“I do not exclude that, taking into account the tragic events that are happening today, we will be forced someday, when we consider it expedient, to create a certain sanitary zone in the territories that are currently under the Kyiv regime.” Putin said.

Kyiv’s reaction: proof that the war will intensify

Kyiv reacted to these statements, stressing that they are clear evidence of Moscow’s intention to start a war.

“This is direct evidence that the war will only intensify,” presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak told Reuters.

“All this is direct evidence that the Russian Federation is not ready to live in modern socio-political relations taking into account the absolute sovereign rights of other countries,” he added.

Medvedev proposed that the buffer zone should be 70-100 kilometers

Russia first attempted to seize Kharkiv Oblast in February 2022, but Moscow’s forces were pushed back from most of the territory after Ukraine’s counteroffensive in September of that year.

In September 2022, Russia announced that it had annexed four Ukrainian regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhia and Kherson, although it did not fully control any of them.

Putin and the Kremlin have not said exactly which buffer zones they are talking about, but last year Security Council Vice President Dmitry Medvedev provided more detailed information about Russia’s intentions.

Medvedev said that we should “knock out all foreigners who are there in the broadest sense of the word, and create a buffer zone that does not allow the use of any types of weapons that operate at medium and short distances, that is, 70-100 kilometers.”

According to him, Russia will have to advance further into Ukraine if such zones are not created by capturing the capital Kyiv or even the western Ukrainian city of Lviv.