'Freudian slip': MFA catches Putin’s aide in lie about peace with Ukraine
Photo: Heorhii Tykhyi (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
"To those who know Russian, this is quite a Freudian slip by Putin’s aide: he demands Ukraine to withdraw from the Donetsk region for the combat action to 'pause' (приостановятся) instead of 'stop' (остановятся)," he noted.
Heorhii Tykhyi added that this was a "clear confession" that Moscow is seeking a pause rather than peace, saying that the "liars exposed."
What preceded it
On Thursday, May 7, Yuri Ushakov called the trilateral peace talks "inadvisable" and stated that Ukraine must withdraw its troops from the part of Donbas currently under Kyiv’s control for the negotiations to continue.
He said that "right now, Kyiv needs to take just one serious step," after which military actions "will be suspended," opening prospects for a "serious discussion of the future long-term settlement."
Putin’s aide also added that dialogue on ending the war is currently "a waste of time."
Negotiations between Ukraine, Russia, and the United States
Since the beginning of 2026, Ukraine has held several rounds of negotiations with Russia. The main issue that has yet to be resolved is control over the unoccupied territories of Donbas.
In particular, the aggressor state insists on the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops, while Ukraine proposes freezing positions along the front line. The United States, meanwhile, supports the creation of a free economic zone in those territories.
Today, May 7, Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov arrived in the United States for meetings with American officials. The diplomatic process will also be discussed during the talks.
