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The Kremlin has denied recent reports of a post-election phone call between President-elect Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Let’s bring you up to speed: Over the weekend, The Washington Post reported that President-elect Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin had a phone call following Trump’s election victory. According to the report, Trump allegedly advised Putin against escalating military actions in Ukraine and highlighted the substantial US military presence in Europe as a deterrent.  

What’s going on now: Following the Washington Post report, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied any post-election call between President-elect Trump and President Putin, calling the story “completely untrue” and “pure fiction.” He said, “This is the most obvious example of the quality of the information that is now published, sometimes even in fairly respected publications. This is completely untrue. This is pure fiction, this is simply false information.”

This comes as Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky have outlined key conditions for an agreement to end the war in Ukraine.

Here’s what Putin’s demands are:

• Territorial Concessions: Ukraine is required to cede full control of the four regions that Russia claims to have annexed in 2022: Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia.
• Abandonment of NATO Ambitions: Ukraine must formally renounce its aspirations to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
• Demilitarization: Ukraine should reduce its military capabilities, ensuring it does not pose a threat to Russia
• Neutrality: Ukraine must adopt a neutral status, refraining from joining any military alliances or hosting foreign military bases.
• Recognition of Crimea: Ukraine should acknowledge Russia’s sovereignty over Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014.

Here’s what Zelensky’s demands are:

• Complete Withdrawal of Russian Forces: Russia must fully withdraw its military from all internationally recognized Ukrainian territories, including Crimea and the Donbas region.
• Restoration of Ukraine’s Territorial Integrity: Ukraine’s sovereignty over its entire territory must be restored and respected.
• Security Guarantees: Ukraine seeks binding international security assurances to prevent future aggression.
• Accountability for War Crimes: Establishment of a special tribunal to prosecute those responsible for war crimes committed during the conflict.
• Reparations and Reconstruction: Russia should provide compensation for damages caused and support the reconstruction of Ukraine’s infrastructure.