The Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Andriy Yermak, emphasized the need to strengthen sanctions against the Russian Federation after Moscow once again rejected the idea of a ceasefire. Yermak made this statement following a meeting in Washington with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Ukraine’s Position on Ceasefire and Negotiations
According to Yermak, during negotiations with the American side, the situation at the front was discussed, as well as the issue of strengthening Ukraine’s air defense. Special attention was given to the outcomes of meetings with U.S. Special Representatives Keith Kellogg and Steve Vitkoff, as well as the exchange of views regarding the negotiations between Ukraine and Russia that took place in Istanbul.
“We discussed the situation at the front, the need to enhance support for Ukraine in the area of air defense. We also shared thoughts on the meetings with the Russians in Istanbul, the further course of negotiations, the exchange of prisoners that will take place, and the importance of returning all hostages and children abducted by Russia. I emphasized that Ukraine has done everything possible to achieve peace, is willing to agree to a ceasefire, but Russia is against it, so additional sanctions are needed,” Yermak wrote on Telegram.
The Ukrainian delegation during the last round of negotiations in Istanbul insisted on an unconditional ceasefire; however, the Russians did not agree to this proposal. The First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Serhiy Kyslytsia, noted that Russia continues to reject the idea of a complete ceasefire.
Demands from the Russian Side and U.S. Reaction
In response to the initiatives from Ukraine and the U.S. aimed at achieving peace, Moscow put forward a series of demands. In particular, Russian state media published a document with proposals that include holding elections in Ukraine before signing a peace treaty, withdrawing Ukrainian troops from the Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Luhansk, and Kherson regions, as well as international recognition of these regions and Crimea as part of Russia. Additionally, Russia demands that Ukraine maintain neutrality, refrain from participating in military alliances, and prohibit the deployment of foreign military formations on its territory. Moscow also insists on granting the Russian language the status of an official language in Ukraine.
The U.S., as initiators of the negotiations, supports Ukraine’s position on an immediate ceasefire. U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he would provide a response regarding the intentions of the Russian leadership to end the war within two weeks. Meanwhile, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of Russia Dmitry Medvedev emphasized that the main goal of the Russian delegation’s participation in the negotiations is not to achieve peace, but to ensure Russia’s victory in the war against Ukraine.