Russia: Ukraine and the West still have a warlike mindset.
Amid Western media reports about a change in the West’s strategy towards the war in Ukraine and their willingness to negotiate, a Russian deputy foreign minister emphasized that Moscow sees no political will for peace, neither in Ukraine nor in the West.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin said in an interview with Sputnik that, while recalling the Ukrainian President’s ban on negotiations with Russia, Moscow sees no political will for peace in either Ukraine or the West. He added that a comprehensive, stable, and fair resolution of the Ukrainian conflict largely depends on eliminating the root causes of the conflict. Galuzin also stated that the West should stop supplying weapons to Ukrainian armed forces, and Kyiv should stop the war and withdraw its forces from Russian soil.
The White House recently approved its latest aid package to Ukraine worth $250 million, including anti-aircraft weapons, artillery shells, and light ammunition. Meanwhile, according to a report from Politico, the Biden administration and Western countries have quietly shifted their strategy in Ukraine from seeking victory over Russia to ending the war through negotiations.
At the beginning of the war in Ukraine, the Biden administration emphasized its support for Ukraine as long as necessary. However, it now says it will support Ukraine as long as it can. Many analysts believe that Washington’s policy adjustment should be seen as a prelude to initiating peace negotiations and a ceasefire with Russia. In this regard, Ukrainians are trying to buy time by emphasizing their defensive positions, in the hope of eventually convincing Russia to accept their desired principles within the framework of the Ukrainian war.
Galuzin explained Russia’s demands in any negotiations, stating that Ukraine should be recognized as a non-aligned and non-nuclear state, and the demilitarization and denazification of the country should be carried out. He also emphasized that the new realities on the ground should be recognized, and the rights of Russian-speaking citizens and national minorities living in Ukraine should be guaranteed.