Moscow: Western Europe's efforts to subdue Russia are 'complete failure'

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Grushko said that European countries supporting Ukraine have failed to defeat or weaken Russia, but still want to prolong the conflict.

The diplomat believes that Britain, France and Germany are not really interested in achieving peace between Moscow and Kiev.

"These countries continue to aim at prolonging the conflict. If we remove the diplomatic language that covers their political actions, then their main goals are Russia's defeat on the battlefield, international isolation, economic strangulation and regime change. All these intrigues have ended in complete failure," Grushko told TASS news agency.

The EU's ultimate goal is to "weaken Russia as much as possible," Mr Grushko added.

The German government has threatened to impose further sanctions on Russia if Moscow refuses to accept a 30-day unconditional ceasefire proposed by Ukraine and backed by the EU. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has dismissed the “ultimatum language” as unacceptable.

On May 11, Russian President Vladimir Putin offered to hold direct talks with Ukraine without preconditions in Türkiye on May 15. Vladimir Zelensky has said he is ready to meet Putin on May 15, but only if Moscow first agrees to a ceasefire.

The previous round of Russia-Ukraine talks collapsed in the spring of 2022 as both sides accused each other of making unrealistic demands. Mr Putin said at the time that Kiev negotiators had initially agreed to some of Moscow's terms before abruptly walking out of the talks.

Moscow has rejected Ukraine’s request for a 30-day ceasefire, saying it would use the time to rearm and regroup its military. Putin also stressed that Kiev must stop its efforts to mobilize its troops and stop receiving weapons from abroad.

Mr Putin insisted that Ukraine must abandon plans to join NATO and renounce its claims to Crimea and four other regions that voted to join Russia in 2022.