Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reiterated Russia's stance on the so-called origins of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, emphasizing the need for guarantees that Ukraine will not join NATO and demanding the return of territories that Russians consider historically their own to Russian control. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov elaborated on these demands, referencing Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions, stressing that regions enshrined in the Russian constitution are not open to compromise.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Russia does not need a truce, insisting on comprehensive peace only, despite calls for a Christmas ceasefire by Friedrich Merz and support from Volodymyr Zelensky. Meanwhile, Moscow continues military actions and the destruction of Ukrainian civilian infrastructure.
These statements by Russian officials followed talks in Berlin involving Volodymyr Zelensky, European leaders, and U.S. representatives. Portnikov emphasizes that Russia's leadership shows no real willingness to seek compromise to end the war, insisting that Ukrainian forces withdraw from annexed regions and that the West recognize them as part of Russia.
The author questions the basis for statements by representatives of Donald Trump's administration about Moscow's alleged willingness to end the conflict, given the Kremlin's position on controlling Ukrainian territories. Portnikov analyzes the ideological basis of such Russian claims, recalling the historical populations of the occupied territories and stressing that using ethnic arguments for annexation is reminiscent of the rhetoric of past world wars.
The conclusion is that this approach by the Russian leadership significantly complicates the possibility of realistic agreements to end the war in the foreseeable future.
