Russia Rejects ‘Freeze’ in Ukraine War Without Putin’s Demands Being Met
Russia has rejected any “freeze” in the war against Ukraine unless Moscow’s demands are met, a senior Russian diplomat said. The Kremlin continues to push for its stated war objectives, while Kyiv rejects the conditions as unacceptable.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin has firmly rejected the idea of a ceasefire in Ukraine's ongoing conflict unless Moscow's central demands are first met. Galuzin reiterated that no freeze is feasible without eradicating the conflict's underlying causes, stating this position is consistent with President Vladimir Putin's stance. This stance underscores Russia's unwillingness to endorse a simple cessation of hostilities without securing its broader political and territorial demands.
Galuzin's criticism extends to President Volodymyr Zelensky, accusing him of having "completely lost touch with reality" and "trying to escalate the conflict." The Russian official's remarks follow Moscow's continuous condemnation of Ukrainian strikes against targets within Russia, including energy infrastructure and assets critical to the Caspian Pipeline Consortium.
These strikes, described by Galuzin as "terrorist" attacks, have prompted calls for international responses, particularly from the US and European countries, whose energy companies are significant shareholders in the CPC.
The Russian official also took aim at the United States, accusing Washington of providing military and intelligence support to Ukraine that he deemed "contradictory" to peace efforts. Galuzin pointed to recent statements from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has indicated that Washington is not an "impartial mediator," a point reiterated by Moscow during ongoing dialogues with the United States.
Despite this rejection of a ceasefire, Moscow still professes openness to diplomacy. Galuzin stated that Russia is prepared to pursue its goals in line with the "Anchorage understandings" and argued that a diplomatic resolution remains possible if there is sufficient political will.
However, other recent statements from high-ranking Russian officials indicate that Moscow remains far from accepting a straightforward ceasefire. Russian foreign ministry special envoy Rodion Miroshnik recently suggested that Russia must prepare for the war to persist for an extended period, arguing that an end to the fighting is unlikely in the near future.
Additionally, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, in June, maintained that Russia would not agree to a cease-fire along the current front line as a prerequisite for peace negotiations with Ukraine, emphasizing that Moscow has been "deceived" before in failed talks in 2022. As part of a prospective peace deal, Kyiv has repeatedly offered to freeze the conflict along existing front lines.
President Vladimir Putin, conversely, has insisted on a settlement that requires Ukraine to cede the entire Donetsk region, including territories that Russian forces have been unable to capture over a decade of conflict. Zelensky has persistently called for direct discussions with Putin, including an invitation to meet on the sidelines of the G7 summit to deliberate on ending the war.
However, Putin has dismissed the notion of immediate talks, stating at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum that such a meeting would be "pointless."
Written by urgent.news from Kyiv Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
