ISLAMABAD: Russian Ambassador to Pakistan Albert P. Khorev said on Tuesday that Russia has repeatedly emphasised that a lasting settlement to the Ukrainian crisis requires the elimination of root causes of the conflict, not a Western-driven ceasefire.
He maintained that Ukraine does not need a ceasefire to move closer to a peaceful settlement of the conflict but it “desires to regroup and rearm with the help of European military and financial assistance”.
Speaking to the media here, the Russian envoy referred to the statements from the leaders of France, the United Kingdom, Germany, and other European countries about the need to “militarise Europe and Ukraine to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia”.
Referring to Russian efforts to resolve the Ukrainian crisis, the envoy said that several significant steps have been taken in this regard since February this year.
He recounted that President Vladimir Putin and President Donald Trump spoke by telephone on March 18 and agreed that Russia would unilaterally suspend its strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure facilities for 30 days. During the moratorium period, from March 18 to April 17, the Kiev regime violated the agreement about 130 times, he maintained.
He questioned: “How does Ukraine plan to observe a full ceasefire for 30 days when, over the past three months, we have seen the Kiev regime’s complete unwillingness and reluctance to agree to a truce on a smaller scale?”
Albert P. Khorev maintained that lasting settlement to the Ukrainian crisis requires the elimination of root causes of the conflict, not a Western-driven ceasefire.
As early as June 14, 2024, he said, Russian President Vladimir Putin presented a concrete plan to achieve peace in Ukraine. The plan’s key elements are the “withdrawal of Ukrainian armed forces from the new Russian regions (Donetsk People’s Republic, Luhansk People’s Republic, Zaporozhzhye and Kherson Oblasts), the recognition of the new territorial realities, Kiev’s refusal to apply for NATO membership, the lifting of all Western sanctions against Russia, and the guarantee of the full rights of Russian-speaking Ukrainian citizens”.
About President Putin’s recent initiative to resume direct Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul, he said Ukraine, under considerable pressure from the US, ultimately accepted the initiative, albeit not immediately.
During the May 16 meeting, which lasted two hours, the Russian and Ukrainian sides presented their views for a peaceful resolution to the conflict. They also agreed to conduct a large-scale prisoner exchange under the “1000 for 1000” formula. The agreement was fully implemented from May 23 to 25. As a result, 880 captured Russian servicemen and 120 civilians returned home.
The parties also agreed to exchange detailed proposals for the terms of a potential future ceasefire. “We expect the negotiations to continue”. The ambassador appreciated the positive role of the US in facilitating the Russia-Ukraine negotiations in Istanbul on May 16.
Trump’s statement that Kiev’s desire to join NATO was one of the causes of the conflict shows that he understands its root causes. During a telephone conversation on May 19, President Putin personally thanked President Trump for his mediation efforts.
During the two-hour conversation, the Presidents noted that Russia was ready to engage with the Ukrainian side on drafting a memorandum regarding a potential future peace agreement. This would include outlining a range of provisions, such as the principles for settlement, the timeframe for a possible peace deal, and other matters, including a potential temporary ceasefire, should the necessary agreements be reached, the envoy said.
Earlier Ambassador Albert P. Khorev and Belarus ambassador Andrey Metelitsa, talking to the media, said that preparation to celebrate the Day of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) is underway which is observed annually on May 29.
It is an international economic integration organisation comprising five member states: Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan.