Russia Tempers Stance on Ukraine Talks, Demands Recognition of Annexed Territories
MOSCOW – In a series of seemingly contradictory statements, Russia both asserted its readiness for unconditional peace talks with Ukraine and insisted on the “imperative” recognition of its claims over five Ukrainian regions, including Crimea, as a prerequisite for any resolution to the ongoing conflict. The mixed messaging follows comments from U.S. President Donald Trump suggesting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy might be willing to cede territory, sparking international debate and drawing criticism from European allies.
According to reports from state media,Russia initially claimed it was prepared to engage in negotiations “without any preconditions,” a statement that came after Trump questioned Russian President Vladimir Putin’s commitment to ending the three-year offensive. However, almost simultaneously, foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov outlined a more rigid stance, demanding that any peace agreement must acknowledge Russia’s sovereignty over Crimea, Sevastopol, the self-proclaimed donetsk people’s republic, the Luhansk People’s Republic, and the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.
“International recognition of Russia’s ownership of Crimea,Sevastopol,the Donetsk People’s Republic,the Luhansk People’s Republic,the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions is imperative,” Lavrov told the Brazilian newspaper O Globo in an interview published Monday.Lavrov further asserted that the onus was on Kyiv to make concessions, stating that the ball was “not in our court” to advance the talks.
These pronouncements come on the heels of President trump’s remarks over the weekend, where he suggested that Zelenskyy might be willing to “give up” Crimea, despite the Ukrainian leader’s repeated assertions that the peninsula, annexed by Russia in 2014, remains an integral part of Ukraine.Trump’s statement followed a meeting between the two leaders at Pope francis’s funeral in Vatican city.
Trump’s assessment of zelenskyy’s position has been met with skepticism and concern from European allies. German Defense Minister Boris pistorius on Sunday characterized a U.S. proposal for Ukraine to cede territory as “akin to a capitulation” to Russia.
In an interview with the broadcaster ARD, Pistorius acknowledged that Kyiv understands a peace agreement may involve territorial concessions, but he argued that Trump’s proposal went too far.
“ukraine on its own could have got a year ago what was included in that [Trump] proposal; it is indeed akin to a capitulation. I cannot discern any added value,” Pistorius stated.
The conflicting signals from Moscow and Washington have further complicated the already precarious path toward a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Ukraine. While russia has expressed openness to talks, its insistence on recognizing the annexation of Ukrainian territories
