Putin is trying to unite Russians around the idea of war against Ukraine ahead of the elections - ISW
Kyiv • UNN
Russia rejects all proposals for a ceasefire, insisting on the terms of Ukraine's complete capitulation. ISW notes that the Kremlin uses pro-war rhetoric to consolidate society ahead of the State Duma elections.
Kremlin officials continue to claim that Russia is unwilling to participate in any meaningful peace negotiations that allegedly do not meet the Russian Federation’s demands for Ukraine’s complete capitulation, despite Kyiv’s repeated calls for talks. This is reported in an article by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), according to UNN.
Details
Analysts point to a statement by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who said that Russia does not want to agree to a ceasefire that would freeze the current front line and that it will continue the war in Ukraine until it can secure a “long-term, reliable, and sustainable” settlement on its terms.
The Kremlin is likely doubling down on its firm rejection of the concept of negotiations in order to unite the Russian public around a pro-war platform ahead of the State Duma elections on September 18–20, 2026. The Kremlin’s routine rejection of all Ukrainian proposals for a ceasefire and peace indicates Russia’s continued unwillingness to end the war in Ukraine on any terms that do not meet Russia’s maximalist demands
They point out that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly reaffirmed his commitment to peace negotiations and readiness to make compromises to end the war.
“Russia rejected Turkey’s and Ukraine’s proposals for a moratorium on strikes against maritime targets in the Black Sea, once again underscoring the fact that Moscow systematically refuses even the smallest diplomatic proposals from Ukraine and third countries,” ISW concludes.
We will remind you
According to ISW’s assessment, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin overestimates his chances in the war against Ukraine.