La Derecha Diario Russia shakes up the board and criticizes a United States proposal for a ceasefire
According to the Russian government, this proposal doesn't represent progress in the negotiations and is considered to benefit Ukraine
Russia has criticized a 30-day ceasefire proposal made between the United States and Ukraine, calling it a "brief truce" for Ukrainian forces.
Yuri Ushakov, a Kremlin advisor, indicated that Moscow sees the ceasefire as something that wouldn't solve the underlying issues and wouldn't bring substantial benefits to Russia.
He also said that the proposed document had a rushed nature and only reflected Ukraine's approach, without considering Russian positions.
This rejection from Russia came at a time when Steven Witkoff, an envoy of Donald Trump, arrived in Moscow to meet with Vladimir Putin and try to push the ceasefire proposal after talks with Ukraine in Saudi Arabia.
Although Ukraine expressed its willingness to accept a 30-day ceasefire as a first step toward peace talks, Moscow has been skeptical and hasn't committed its position regarding the ceasefire.
Russian officials have emphasized that the war is favoring Russia on the battlefield, which reduces the incentives to freeze the conflict without obtaining significant concessions.
Russia has insisted that any agreement must consider its key demands, such as Ukraine's non-membership in NATO, the country's demilitarization, and the international recognition of the annexations of Crimea and other Ukrainian regions by Russia.
Additionally, the Kremlin has reiterated its rejection of the presence of Western peacekeeping forces in Ukraine, considering it would constitute a direct intervention in the conflict.
The spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Zakharova, made it clear that Russia wouldn't accept the presence of foreign troops in Ukraine, warning that they would respond with all available means if such forces were deployed.
President Putin has repeatedly shown his rejection of a temporary ceasefire, arguing that his focus is on addressing the "essential causes" of the conflict, such as NATO's eastward expansion and Russia's security.
Additionally, Russia has presented a list of demands to both Ukraine and the United States, which include Ukraine's demilitarization, an end to Western military aid, and the recognition of its annexations in Crimea and in the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson.
Some of these demands date back to previous agreements that Russia sought with the United States and NATO, such as the prohibition of foreign troop deployment in Ukraine and the limitation of NATO's military presence in Europe.
The conditions presented by Russia in negotiations with the United States and Ukraine reflect a maximalist approach that could prolong peace talks.
Regarding the possibility of a peace agreement, the Kremlin has shown little interest in making concessions, raising doubts about Russia's willingness to reach a real agreement.
Some experts claim that Russia's demands haven't changed in the last two decades and that there are no indications that Russia is genuinely interested in a significant ceasefire or lasting peace.
In this context, U.S. officials have pointed out that a possible peace agreement could be based on a draft discussed in the 2022 negotiations in Istanbul, which didn't materialize.
In those talks, Russia had demanded that Ukraine renounce its aspirations to join NATO and adopt a permanent nuclear-free status.
However, the Democratic Biden administration rejected some of these demands and tried to curb the Russian advance by committing to some of them, although the intensification of Ukraine's war occurred on February 24, 2022, after the negotiations failed.
Meanwhile, Witkoff has spoken of the Istanbul negotiations as an example of substantive agreements and could be a guide for future peace talks.
However, Trump's main envoy for Ukraine, retired General Keith Kellogg, expressed that a new approach to negotiations should be developed and not revisit the terms discussed in Istanbul.
Russia has reiterated that its demands are not only aimed at resolving the conflict with Ukraine but also at redefining relations with its Western allies. These demands include restrictions on NATO and U.S. military presence in Europe.
Experts point out that these conditions could weaken the West's ability to increase its military presence in Europe and allow Putin to expand his influence over the continent.
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