Key Points – Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council, declared this week that Moscow seeks “swift victory and the complete destruction of the neo-Nazi regime” in Ukraine, not a “compromise peace on someone else’s delusional terms.”
-This statement followed brief and unproductive peace talks in Istanbul on June 2nd, where Russia reportedly presented punitive demands, including Ukrainian surrender of significant territory, demilitarization, and neutrality.
-Medvedev also vowed “inevitable retribution” for Ukraine’s recent successful deep-strike drone attacks on Russian soil.
-These hardline pronouncements underscore Russia’s unwillingness to genuinely negotiate an end to the war under current conditions.
Forget Peace Talks? Medvedev Says Russia is Aiming for Total Ukrainian Defeat
Dmitry Medvedev, who briefly served as Vladimir Putin’s successor as Russian president before Putin returned to power in 2012. After a stint as prime minister, Medvedev is now Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of Russia, and remains a top government figure in Russia.
This week, Medvedev made a statement that appears to echo Russia’s current posture in its war in Ukraine: That it’s not looking for a settlement to the war, but rather for victory.
According to Reuters, Medvedev made that clear following the talks in Istanbul earlier this week, which failed to lead to any progress towards a ceasefire, although the sides agreed on exchanges of prisoners and the remains of soldiers killed in the war.
“The Istanbul talks are not for striking a compromise peace on someone else’s delusional terms but for ensuring our swift victory and the complete destruction of the neo-Nazi regime,” Medvedev said, referring to the Russian belief that Ukraine is controlled by Nazis.
If that’s the strategy, it’s not clear why holding talks with Ukraine was even necessary.
After Ukraine successfully carried out drone strikes that took out Russian positions across the country, Medvedev also vowed revenge.
“Retribution is inevitable,” the former Russian president said. “Our Army is pushing forward and will continue to advance. Everything that needs to be blown up will be blown up, and those who must be eliminated will be.”
The Demands From Moscow
The Russians, in the Istanbul talks, issued a list of demands to end the war, all of which were rejected out of hand with Ukraine, which may be why the talks only lasted a little over an hour.
The Russians offered a pair of potential frameworks for a temporary ceasefire, as pointed out in a memorandum released by the government and published in news outlets worldwide.
“The first framework requires Kyiv to completely withdraw from the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, which Russia partially occupies but claims as its own territory,” The Moscow Times said of the demands. “A 30-day ceasefire would enter into force once this troop withdrawal begins, the memorandum says. Ukraine would also be required to relocate its military to an agreed distance from the Russian border.”
A second framework calls for an “immediate ban on Ukrainian mobilization efforts and the start of demobilization; an end to all foreign military aid, intelligence-sharing and satellite support to Kyiv; and a guarantee that no sabotage operations would be carried out inside Russian territory.” They also demanded new elections in Ukraine.
This is in addition to Russia’s conditions for ending the war altogether, which include international recognition of Russia’s claims to Crimea and four other regions of Ukraine, as well as a commitment by Ukraine to neutrality, which would mean agreeing not to join NATO.
Also demanded was that the Russian language be granted official status by Ukraine. Ukraine would also be required to confirm its nonnuclear status.
Zelenskyy Speaks
Following the talks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Mark Rutte, the Secretary General of NATO, and filled him in on the status of the talks. And while Ukraine has not joined NATO, it has been assisted by the alliance throughout the war.
“I informed him about the agreements reached during today’s talks in Istanbul regarding the exchange of prisoners and the return of children, as well as Russia’s rejection of the simplest possible step – an unconditional ceasefire,” the Ukrainian president said on X.
“Only significantly increased pressure can change this stance. We also discussed the next diplomatic steps and defense support for Ukraine. Our focus is on increasing our long-range capabilities… It is also important that Ukraine is properly represented at the upcoming NATO Summit in The Hague. That would send the right signal to Russia.”
About the Author:
Stephen Silver is an award-winning journalist, essayist and film critic, and contributor to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Broad Street Review and Splice Today. The co-founder of the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle, Stephen lives in suburban Philadelphia with his wife and two sons. For over a decade, Stephen has authored thousands of articles that focus on politics, technology, and the economy. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @StephenSilver, and subscribe to his Substack newsletter.
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