Russia is urging for a “quick peace” in Ukraine, with Ambassador Andrei Kelin accusing London of being at the forefront of opposition to this goal. In an interview with Sky News on The World With Yalda Hakim, Kelin expressed that Moscow believes its territorial gains in Ukraine should be acknowledged in any peace agreement.
“We are prepared to negotiate and talk,” Kelin stated, highlighting the need for a serious approach to reaching a settlement that addresses security in Europe.
The remarks come in the wake of US President Donald Trump’s unexpected phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin last month, during which tensions with Ukraine escalated. After the call, Trump labeled Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a “dictator,” and relations soured further during a contentious Oval Office meeting.
Following these events, Trump suspended military aid to Ukraine but has since indicated improving relations with Zelenskyy, appreciating a letter where Ukraine expressed readiness to finalize a minerals agreement.
In the Sky News interview, Kelin stated he was “not surprised” by the US’s shifting stance on Russia’s invasion, claiming Trump possesses a deeper understanding of the conflict’s history compared to European leaders.
Regarding the peace deal, Kelin insisted that Russia’s territorial claims must be recognized. “We will need a new Ukraine as a neutral, non-nuclear state,” he asserted. He also stated that Russia “categorically rules out” the deployment of NATO peacekeepers in Ukraine, calling the idea proposed by UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron “senseless.”
Kelin dismissed a temporary ceasefire suggested by Zelenskyy as “a crazy idea,” reiterating that Russia will only accept a definitive agreement when it is reached. He added, “We’re trying to find a resolution on the battlefield until the US administration proposes something constructive.”
Credit: Sky News
