Russia says freezing the conflict in Ukraine would lead to nuclear war.
The head of the Russian negotiating delegation stated that freezing the conflict in Ukraine would not resolve the issue and would instead lead to nuclear war.
According to RIA Novosti, Russian President Vladimir Medinsky's assistant stated that freezing the conflict in Ukraine without an agreement on the ground would lead to a nuclear war.
Mr. Medinsky stated that the terms of the 2022 peace agreement for Ukraine were "softer" than those offered by Russia to Kyiv in 2025. The head of the Russian delegation added that if Ukraine wanted peace and made its own decision, the peace agreement with Moscow had already been signed on February 28, 2022.
"Finally, we reached an agreement for the first time in Istanbul. We prepared a memorandum, as I recall now: 19 pages, very detailed. There were even nuances to the point that the words were understood the same in Russian, English, and Ukrainian. On April 15th, President Putin revised a few details in this memorandum. The President is a professional lawyer," said Assistant Vladimir Medinsky.
According to Medinsky, in the eyes of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, those participating in the Istanbul negotiations, there was a reluctance to fight and to put soldiers in danger.
Regarding the exchange of fallen soldiers, Moscow proposed that Ukraine hand over the bodies of Russian soldiers in exchange, but they had nothing to give in return. Russia unilaterally planned to transfer 6,000 bodies of Ukrainian soldiers to Kyiv. Moscow has identified all of these fallen soldiers.
Medinsky said that Russia doesn't need war at all, but it seems necessary for Ukraine's current leadership. "They need an enemy and constant war to maintain their power indefinitely," he said.
Furthermore, according to Medinsky, the Ukrainian delegation participating in the negotiations in 2022 appeared more independent and freer than this year. The ability to quickly agree on acceptable terms would be possible if negotiators from Kyiv were guided by Ukraine's interests, not Europe's.
Regarding the US, Medinsky stated that the US rare earth treaty with Ukraine is nothing compared to what an American businessman could gain by cooperating with Moscow. President Trump's policy is understandable to Russia, as he prioritizes American interests.
