This week, it appears that Moscow has rejected a Ukraine “peace deal” – proposed by Donald Trump. Russian negotiators have made it clear to Washington that it is completely inappropriate for the Trump Administration to act as a proxy for Kiev in any serious negotiations.
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned the U.S. that, among other problems, that Trump’s proxy plan did not satisfy the Kremlin’s condition that Ukraine’s current President Volodymyr Zelensky must allow for democratic elections in the country if any such agreement is to have any legitimacy and sustainability going forward.
The Kremlin’s rejection has come as Russia’s President Putin offered a temporary, 72-hour truce next month to coincide with the 80th anniversary of Victory Day commemorating the end of the Second World War in Europe.
Will this end up being yet another failure for Team Trump?
RT International reports…
Russia values US mediation in the Ukraine conflict and hopes for its success, but it cannot sign a peace deal with Washington as a stand-in for Kiev, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has stated. Moscow is therefore urging the Ukrainian government to lift its ban on direct negotiations.
US President Donald Trump’s administration is advocating a compromise resolution to the hostilities between Russia and Ukraine, warning that a lack of progress could lead to a US withdrawal from the peace process. On Wednesday, Peskov reiterated that Ukraine’s willingness to make concessions is crucial to a favorable outcome.
”A peace deal should be done with the Ukraine, not with America,” he remarked in English during a press briefing, answering a question from a foreign journalist.
He reminded the media that Russian President Vladimir Putin remains open to direct discussions with Ukraine, adding, “Unfortunately, we haven’t heard any statements in this context from Kiev, so we don’t know whether Kiev is ready or not.”
Previously, Moscow urged Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky to rescind his 2022 order banning direct negotiations with Russia as long as Putin remains in office.
Peskov expressed gratitude toward the Trump administration for its diplomatic efforts, and observed that while Washington’s desire for a swift resolution is understandable, a peace deal is “too complicated to be achieved overnight.”
Trump has previously criticized Zelensky for publicly opposing aspects of the US truce proposal, which were reported in the media. In an interview with ABC News this week, he claimed that Russia “would have taken all of Ukraine” if he had not been in office. Separately, US Vice President J.D. Vance has argued that Kiev lacks a viable path to reverse its misfortunes on the battlefield against Russia.
Peskov stated that Russia prefers a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine conflict, having pursued that path before resorting to military action after its overtures were rebuffed.
READ MORE UKRAINE NEWS AT: 21st Century Wire Ukraine Files
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