Ryabkov says Ukraine ceasefire dangerous without addressing root causes

A cease-fire in Ukraine without eliminating the root causes of the conflict threatens severe consequences for the Russian-US relations, Moscow does not want this. This was stated by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov on February 24.

"As of today, we have no greater understanding. We can probably record with sufficient confidence the aspiration of the American side to move toward a ceasefire soon. But <...> a ceasefire without a long-term settlement is a path to a rapid resumption of fire and a resumption of the conflict with even more severe consequences, including consequences for Russian-American relations. We do not want that," Ryabkov told RIA Novosti.

He is convinced that Russia needs to find a long-term solution, which will include an element of overcoming the root causes of what is happening in and around Ukraine.

Ryabkov recalled that the Special Military Operation (SMO) was initially deeply motivated. In a world where destructive policies of Washington and European capitals had reigned for decades, there was no alternative in the Eastern European direction to avoid the start of the SWO.

He noted that the causes of the conflict were the unrestrained expansion of NATO, the West's disregard for the coup d'état in Kiev, and the rejection of the Minsk agreements.

"It is necessary to deal with the non-expansion of NATO, it is also necessary to deal with ensuring the rights of the Russian-speaking population in Ukraine, which are literally trampled. Without all this, there will be no long-term solution," Ryabkov commented, adding that Moscow explained its position to the U.S. representatives at the meeting in Riyadh in a very detailed manner.

"I rate the negotiations highly, there is a result"

How Putin sees the development of relations between Russia and the United States after the meeting in Riyadh and what awaits Ukraine

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on February 18 that the possible appearance of a peacekeeping contingent from NATO countries in Ukraine was unacceptable, and this was conveyed to the US representatives during the talks. He noted that the Russian side at the meeting reminded its US counterparts that Russian President Vladimir Putin had repeatedly pointed out that the expansion of NATO with the absorption of Ukraine was a direct threat to Russia's interests and sovereignty.

On February 12, President Putin held a telephone conversation with US President Donald Trump. As reported by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, the two leaders discussed many topics, including the settlement of the Ukrainian conflict. It was specified that the Russian leader pointed to the need to eliminate the root causes of the conflict and agreed with Trump that a long-term settlement could be reached through peaceful negotiations.