Russia has refused to “freeze” its ongoing war in Ukraine if its “root causes” are not addressed, Moscow said on Monday.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin told the state-affiliated TASS news agency that “as Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly said, no ‘freeze’ is possible without eliminating the root causes of this crisis.”
Zelensky Speaking in UK Ukraine Government Photo
Unsurprisingly, this latest intervention demonstrates Moscow’s unwillingness to accept a pause in military action unless its broader demands are met.
Galuzin also claimed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has “completely lost touch with reality” and is attempting “to escalate the conflict.”
Moscow accuses Ukraine of targeting energy infrastructure, including facilities linked to the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) within Russia.
Russia: Ukrainian Attacks are ‘Terrorism’
Galuzin referred to the attacks as “terrorist” in nature and noted that the US and several European countries are home to energy firms that hold shares in the CPC.
Ukraine has denied targeting civilians, stating its attacks are on facilities that aid Russia’s military.
Galuzin also slammed ongoing US military and intelligence backing for Ukraine, which he said was “contradictory” to its calls for peace.
“The continued supply of American weapons to the Kyiv regime, the provision of intelligence and other assistance speak for themselves,” Galuzin noted, implying that this was compromising the chances of peace.
Galuzin also said Russia would take into account the “Anchorage understandings” – referring to the discussions between the US and Russian presidents in Anchorage last year – as it advanced its own demands, and that a diplomatic solution was possible.
Statements from top Russian officials continue to underscore how distant the prospects for a ceasefire feel.
Image Credit: Office the the President, Ukraine.
Moscow Warns of Long War
Rodion Miroshnik, special envoy for the Russian Foreign Ministry, has said the country should brace itself for protracted warfare, as there is no near prospect of a peace deal.
Back in June, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also asserted that Moscow had been “deceived” once during failed talks in 2022 and would therefore not agree to a freeze in fighting as a precursor to peace talks.
As part of a potential peace deal, Kyiv has offered to freeze the conflict along current front lines.
Conversely, Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to press for a settlement in which Ukraine cedes the whole Donetsk region, including highly fortified parts Russia has not seized.
Russia Demands Ukraine’s ‘Fortress Belt’
Ukrainian forces still control some 19 percent of the region, including the highly fortified chain of cities known as the “fortress belt”. The area has been optimized for defense since the 2014 invasion of Crimea, and the area to its west is much less suited for defensive purposes.
Naturally, the concern in Kyiv is that such a cession would not only be highly damaging to Ukraine’s image on the global stage, but could also leave its western regions with poor defenses against any future Russian military invasion.
Such a climbdown would also presumably leave Moscow emboldened to pursue further military action.
Zelensky has continued to call for a face-to-face summit with Putin.
The Russian president, however, has rejected any prospect of immediate talks, telling the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum that the meeting would be “pointless.”
Ukraine Launches Deadly Refinery Attack
Earlier today, Ukraine launched one of its deadliest single attacks on Russia since the start of the latter’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Ukraine’s military has said it was targeting a refinery some 600-plus miles into Russian territory in the Republic of Tatarstan.
Russia has stated that 13 people were killed in the attack. Russian missiles also hit an apartment block in Kharkiv on Sunday evening, leaving three people dead and 37 injured.
Moscow has been accused of extensive war crimes, including a massacre of civilians in Ukraine’s city of Bucha. Russia also routinely attacks Ukrainian civilian areas, launching drone strikes in heavily populated cities such as the capital Kyiv.
Over 16,000 civilian fatalities have taken place throughout the bloody war, the United Nations reports. The full death toll is likely higher, and the majority of deaths have been Ukrainian.
About the Author: Georgia Gilholy
Georgia Gilholy is a journalist based in the United Kingdom who has been published in Newsweek, The Times of Israel, and the Spectator. Gilholy writes about international politics, culture, and education.
