RUSSIA, JUN 27 – Russian and Ukrainian peace proposals conflict sharply, with defense spending at 6.3% of Russia's GDP and over 2,000 prisoners exchanged during stalled talks, officials said.
On June 27, 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a Minsk press conference that Russia and Ukraine's peace proposals remain absolutely contradictory.
This statement followed several rounds of talks in Istanbul during 2022 and 2025, which failed to advance a ceasefire despite exchanging memorandums and agreeing on prisoner swaps.
Russia demanded Ukraine fully withdraw from occupied territories, limit troops and weapons, and accept a permanent ban on NATO membership, with Kyiv rejecting these as unacceptable conditions.
Putin acknowledged defense spending now takes 6.3% of Russia's GDP, equating to 13.5 trillion rubles , and described NATO's pledge to raise defense budgets to 5% as aggressive and budgetarily difficult.
Despite economic strains and ongoing military actions including escalated air strikes and territorial advances, Putin said negotiations and contacts would continue after prisoner exchanges.