MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia said on Wednesday that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's plan to force the country into peace was a “fatal mistake” that will have consequences for Kiev.
Zelenskiy told the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday that the war between Russia and Ukraine cannot be resolved through negotiations alone and that Moscow must be forced to make peace.
Speaking to reporters, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “Such a position is a fatal mistake, a systematic error. This is a deep-rooted misconception that will inevitably have consequences for the regime in Kiev.”
Peskov said Russia wants peace, but it cannot be forced. He added: “A position based on an attempt to force Russia to peace is an absolutely fatal mistake, because it is impossible to force Russia to peace.”
He said: “Russia is a supporter of peace, but on condition that the foundations of its security are guaranteed.”
Putin said in June that Russia would end the war in Ukraine only if Kiev abandoned its ambitions to join NATO and fully handed over the four regions claimed by Moscow. These demands were immediately rejected by Kiev, as tantamount to surrender.
Ukraine and its Western allies say Putin must be stopped from winning the war because if he is not stopped, he will threaten other neighbors. Putin has portrayed the conflict as an existential struggle for Russia, while denying that he has any interest in expanding the war to other countries.
(Reporting by Dmitry Antonov, Writing by Felix Light; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)
