Russia seemingly has their own set of demands when it comes to the ongoing negotiations with America and Ukraine
Russia has outlined some of its own demands when it comes to a potential ceasefire with Ukraine.
The Russia-Ukraine conflict has dominated global headlines as the U.S. steps up its efforts to help both countries reach an end to the war that began over three years ago.
While the historical tensions between Ukraine and Russia have deep roots, the current conflict erupted in February 2022, when Vladimir Putin ordered his forces to invade Ukraine. Now, three years later, the battle is still raging, with both sides recently launching devastating drone strikes on each other.
In a recent development, after productive talks between the U.S. and Ukraine in Saudi Arabia, Ukrainian officials agreed to a potential 30-day ceasefire with Russia. However, Russia’s stance on the matter is now being clarified by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who shared the country’s perspective on the proposed ceasefire.
“No one is talking to us,” Sergey Lavrov declared. He criticized the international community, stating, “They keep saying, ‘nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine,’ but they do everything about Russia without Russia.” Lavrov also addressed the ongoing “peacekeeping obsession” and made it clear that Russia will not tolerate foreign troops on Ukrainian soil.
“The presence of troops from NATO countries, under any flag or capacity, on Ukrainian soil represents the same threat,” Lavrov emphasized. He reinforced that Russia will never accept such forces under any conditions.
The foreign minister further questioned the need for peacekeepers, asking, “Why should we give consent to a peacekeeping force?” He pointed out the irony that NATO nations, who claim to want to preserve peace, have already branded Russia as the “enemy.”
Lavrov’s remarks come on the heels of President Trump’s recent comments, where he threatened a “devastating” punishment for Russia if they refuse to agree to a ceasefire.
“Hopefully, we can get a ceasefire from Russia,” Trump said, adding, “And if we do, I think that would be 80 percent of the way to stopping this horrible bloodbath that’s taking place over there.”
Trump then warned, “If Russia doesn’t work with us and Ukraine to restore peace, we could do things that would be very bad for Russia. It would be devastating for them. But I don’t want to do that because I want to see peace.”
.jpg)
Reports indicate that American officials are heading to Russia to engage in direct talks regarding the ongoing conflict. According to BBC News, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Russia on March 13 with the aim of convincing the Russian government to accept the 30-day ceasefire that Ukraine has already agreed to.
Witkoff’s visit follows a series of discussions earlier this week when he joined US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Saudi Arabia to negotiate the terms of a ceasefire with Ukrainian officials. The hope is that these diplomatic efforts will help pave the way toward peace and an end to the years-long conflict.
