Russia is weighing American cease-fire suggestions for Ukraine with gravity, though it is not ready to agree to the terms currently on the table, a top Russian official stated on Tuesday — signaling that negotiations toward peace remain at a standstill.
“We take the models and solutions proposed by the Americans very seriously, but we can’t accept it all in its current form,” said Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, as reported by Russian state outlets.
“As far as we can see, there is no place in them today for our main demand, namely to solve the problems related to the root causes of this conflict. It is completely absent, and that must be overcome,” Ryabkov continued.
His remarks, published in the Russian journal International Affairs, appear to confirm that the divide between the United States and Russia—first highlighted by President Vladimir Putin last month—has yet to be resolved. At the time, Putin asserted that the US-backed cease-fire blueprint required substantial revision.
Adding to the tension, President Trump recently voiced strong dissatisfaction with Putin’s actions, stating he is “pissed off” and has even floated the idea of slapping sanctions on nations that continue purchasing Russian oil should Moscow drag its feet on broader negotiations.
Meanwhile, Putin has reiterated his position, demanding that Ukraine abandon its aspirations to join NATO and accept Russian authority over four Ukrainian territories already claimed by Moscow.
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