Russia mentioned on Friday {that a} ceasefire in Ukraine wouldn’t allow it to realize the targets of its “particular army operation” in the meanwhile.
The Kremlin was reacting after Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko – Russia’s closest ally – referred to as for a right away ceasefire, with out preconditions, and for each Moscow and Kyiv to start out negotiations on a long-lasting peace settlement.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov instructed reporters Russia had famous Lukashenko’s feedback and that President Vladimir Putin would talk about it with him subsequent week. However he mentioned Russia’s targets in Ukraine couldn’t be achieved in the meanwhile by means of a halt in preventing.
“When it comes to Ukraine, nothing is altering, the particular army operation is constant as a result of at present that’s the solely means in entrance of us to realize our targets,” Peskov mentioned.
He mentioned components of a plan proposed by China for peace in Ukraine have been “unrealizable in the meanwhile, as a result of unwillingness – or moderately the shortcoming – of the Ukrainian aspect to disobey their supervisors and commanders.”
That was a reference to Moscow’s claims – unsupported by proof – that Ukraine’s Western backers have ordered Kyiv to not pursue a ceasefire.
“These commanders, as we all know, will not be sitting in Kyiv and demand that the struggle continues,” Peskov mentioned.
Russia has mentioned it’s open for peace however has made clear this might solely be on its phrases. It says Kyiv should settle for the “new realities” on the bottom, the place Russia has seized and claimed to have annexed greater than a sixth of Ukrainian territory.
Ukraine has mentioned Russia should withdraw its troops as a precursor to any peace deal, and says any momentary ceasefire would solely enable Russia to regroup for future army motion.
Moscow says the US and its allies are utilizing Ukraine as a part of a “hybrid struggle” through which they purpose to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia. Ukraine and the West say Russia’s claims are a baseless pretext to justify its invasion.