The Kremlin is repeating existing narratives aimed at undermining support for Ukraine during negotiations in Riyadh, and is likely to remain uninterested in meaningful negotiations to end the war. This is the conclusion reached by analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), reports UNN.
Details
It is noted that Kremlin officials are likely trying to take advantage of the current lack of available details regarding the US-Ukrainian and US-Russian negotiations in Riyadh.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Ukraine of being "well-mannered Nazis" who have no will, as part of the Kremlin's efforts to justify the Kremlin's demand for "denazification" - or regime change and the establishment of a pro-Russian government in Kyiv. - as a condition for ending the war in Ukraine
They also point out that Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov accused Ukraine of violating the proposed moratorium on strikes on energy targets, despite the fact that the proposed moratorium agreement and its outlines have not yet been finalized and are currently being discussed in Riyadh.
Peskov and Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova tried to reduce internal expectations regarding the current negotiations, saying that one should not expect breakthroughs and that there is still a lot of work on technical issues. These statements continue to signal to the domestic Russian audience that Russians should not expect meaningful peace in Ukraine in the near future and should support the Kremlin's conditions for a protracted war.
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In addition, experts believe that recent statements by Russian diplomats and scientists indicate that the Kremlin seeks to prioritize bilateral discussions with the United States over negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, and is shaping such expectations in Russian society.
Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Foreign Affairs of Russia Vyacheslav Nikonov recently stated ... that Russian President Vladimir Putin considers bilateral Russian-American relations "more important than the issue of Ukraine"
They conclude that it is important for Russia to achieve its goals in bilateral US-Russian relations to ease sanctions pressure, deter NATO, and seek a "broader deal" before agreeing to any ceasefire in Ukraine.
Let us remind you
US State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce stated that Ukraine and Russia are now "closer than ever before" to starting a full ceasefire. At the same time, according to her, a lasting peace will be discussed only after a complete ceasefire, and this scenario is real, because "it has already happened in human history."
US-Russia negotiations: Kremlin seeks to buy time to seize new territories - media25.03.25, 00:10