News Feed

Moscow won't accept US proposals on Ukraine peace 'in current form,' Russian official claims

2 min read
Moscow won't accept US proposals on Ukraine peace 'in current form,' Russian official claims
Russian Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Sergei Ryabkov speaks during the annual meeting of the Russian Academy of Science (RAS) on April 20, 2021, in Moscow, Russia. (Photo by Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images)

Moscow will not accept U.S. proposals to end Russia's war against Ukraine in their "current form," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said in an interview released on April 1.

"As far as we can see, there is no place in them today for our main demand, namely to solve the problems related to the root causes of this conflict. It is completely absent, and that must be overcome," state media quoted Ryabkov as telling the Russian magazine "International Affairs."

In the same interview, Ryabkov claimed Russia has not seen the U.S. give Ukraine a "signal" to end the war.

Moscow has shown signs it is unwilling to move forward on a peace deal with Ukraine, and Russian authorities have listed maximalist demands in ceasefire negotiations with Ukraine and the U.S.

Ryabkov alleged that peace talks led by the U.S. are not addressing Russia's main concerns.

"We take the models and solutions proposed by the Americans very seriously, but we can't accept it all in its current form," Ryabkov claimed.

On March 31, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia remains willing to engage with the U.S. despite reports that U.S. President Donald Trump is "very angry" over Russian President Vladimir Putin's latest remarks on Ukraine.

On March 27, Putin claimed a temporary government should be introduced in Ukraine to hold new elections and questioned President Volodymyr Zelensky's legitimacy.

"If he himself (Zelensky) is illegitimate, then all the others are too," Putin added.

A temporary government under the supervision of the United Nations (U.N.), and several nations should be introduced in Ukraine to hold elections, Putin said.

Putin's calls to establish a temporary government in Ukraine to replace Zelensky were "not appreciated" by Trump, U.S. State Department Spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said on March 31.

"Ukraine is... a constitutional democracy. Governance in Ukraine is determined by its constitution and the Ukrainian people," Bruce said.

Ukraine has agreed to a U.S.-proposed full 30-day ceasefire, saying on March 11 that Kyiv is ready if Russia also agrees to the terms. So far, Moscow has refused.

Avatar
Volodymyr Ivanyshyn

News Editor

Volodymyr Ivanyshyn is a news editor for The Kyiv Independent. He is pursuing an Honors Bachelor of Arts at the University of Toronto, majoring in political science with a minor in anthropology and human geography. Volodymyr holds a Certificate in Business Fundamentals from Rotman Commerce at the University of Toronto. He previously completed an internship with The Kyiv Independent.

Read more
News Feed

The latest estimates appear to be significantly higher than figures published earlier this month by independent Russian media outlets Mediazona and Meduza that estimated 352,000 Russian men between the ages of 18 and 59 have been killed since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Video

The Kyiv Independent’s Martin Fornusek speaks with Kaupo Rosin, director general of Estonia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, about Russia’s long-term strategy against Ukraine and Europe, the risks facing NATO’s eastern flank, and why Moscow still views the United States as its main adversary.

Show More