Russia says it has 'no alternative' but to pursue the war in Ukraine
The Kremlin spokesman downplayed Trump’s attempt at rapprochement, noting that in August he hosted his counterpart Vladimir Putin in Alaska. "This track is progressing slowly, very slowly," he said. "The result is practically zero."
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
The Kremlin asserted Wednesday that it was erroneous to believe that Ukraine could reclaim territory seized by Moscow's army, a day after President Donald Trump said Kiev could fully drive Russian forces out of the country.
“The idea that Ukraine can take anything back is, from our point of view, wrong,” Russian spokesman Dmitry Peskov said at a news conference.
"We have no other alternative"
Vladimir Putin’s spokesman added that Russia has no choice but to continue the full-scale offensive it launched in Ukraine in February 2022 to secure its “interests.”
These statements came after Trump called Russia a “paper tiger,” weakened by three and a half years of conflict and Western sanctions. This marked a shift from his earlier remarks, when for months he suggested it should be Ukraine that agreed to cede territory to Moscow.
"We continue our special military operation to secure our interests and achieve the goals that (...) the president of our country developed from the very beginning," Peskov told RBC radio.
"We act this way for the present and the future of our country, for the generations to come. We have no other alternative," the spokesman added.
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Peskov also said Wednesday that the recent rapprochement with the United States has produced few results.
"This track is moving slowly, very slowly," the Russian presidential spokesman said, referring to Trump's efforts to revive the bilateral relationship. In August, Trump hosted his counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in Alaska.
According to Peskov, "the result is practically zero."
A diplomatic way out of the war
Russia occupies almost 20% of Ukraine and demands that the country cede five regions, including the Crimean peninsula, and abandon plans to join NATO.
Kiev refuses to cede territory and is demanding the deployment of Western troops to protect it once a ceasefire is agreed — a condition Russia considers unacceptable.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet Wednesday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. According to the official agenda, the meeting is scheduled for noon.
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