Zelenskyy's office reacts to Russia's ultimatum and points to key detail
Illustrative photo: Russia refuses negotiations with Ukraine and the United States (UAE Presidential Court)
Russia’s new ultimatum regarding peace negotiations with Ukraine and the United States shows that the Kremlin does not intend to end the war even if it gains control over Donbas, according to an RBC-Ukraine source within the team of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Commenting on statements made by Putin's aide Yuri Ushakov, the source said that in the context of negotiations, Moscow’s opinion does not matter.
According to the source, the key factor is the position of US President Donald Trump and Washington, which, like Ukraine, believes that it is necessary to end the war and find an acceptable diplomatic solution.
The source also pointed to Ushakov’s remarks that military operations would only be "paused" after Ukrainian troops withdraw from Donbas.
"He accidentally said exactly what they are planning and what we have been telling our partners all along: they want Donbas, but they do not want to stop the war even after that. Their plan is just to gain a foothold," the source said.
What Ushakov said
Earlier, Putin's aide Yuri Ushakov said that further peace talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the United States in a trilateral format are inappropriate.
According to him, negotiations are unnecessary until Ukraine withdraws its forces from Donbas.
Ushakov also said that discussions about ending the war at this stage are "a waste of time."
A new round of talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the United States had originally been expected in early March but was postponed after the United States launched operations against Iran.
On May 7, Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov arrived in the United States for meetings with American officials. Diplomatic efforts are expected to be among the topics of discussion during the visit.
