In response to Russian dictator Vladimir Putin's proposal to establish a "demilitarised zone" between the Russian Federation and Ukraine, the US Department of State declared that Russia must first demilitarise the occupied parts of Ukraine.

"So I’m struggling to understand how a demilitarised zone between Russia and Ukraine would be implemented when Russian forces are currently inside Ukraine," US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said at a briefing.

The US State Department spokesman emphasised the difficulty of establishing a demilitarised zone while Russian troops remain on the Ukrainian side of the border.

He recalled that Putin has repeatedly stated that his goal remains to conquer and subjugate Ukraine.

"So I think if Russia really wanted to show interest in a demilitarised zone, the thing they could do is start by demilitarising the parts of Ukraine where there are currently Russian forces," he added.

Recently, Vladimir Putin emphasised the idea of a "demilitarised" or "sanitary" zone in Ukraine, which, according to him, would put Russian-controlled territory, including the occupied parts of Ukraine, beyond the reach of both front-line artillery systems and long-range systems provided by the West.

According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Putin's declared goal of pushing the front line so that Russia's claimed and actual territories are beyond the reach of Ukrainian firepower is nebulous and nearly impossible to achieve as long as Ukraine remains independent and capable of fighting.

Victoria Nuland, US Under Secretary of State, is confident that 2024 is of great strategic importance for Ukraine and will bring certain "solid successes" on the battlefield.

Nuland also believes that the US Congress will vote for additional aid to Ukraine, given its importance if the country is to "survive and thrive".

European officials have repeatedly stressed the importance of 2024 for Ukraine in the context of countering Russian full-scale aggression.