Kremlin is giving NATO ultimatums instead of real steps towards peace
russian diplomacy once again resorts to its favorite tactic — issuing ultimatums and “talking over” diplomatic efforts instead of taking real steps toward peace.
▫️ In an interview with the propagandist agency tass, russian deputy foreign minister sergey ryabkov stated that “conflict resolution with the West is impossible without halting NATO expansion” and that “reducing NATO’s presence in Eastern Europe would benefit the security of the continent.” He also reminded of putin’s ultimatum demanding the reduction of NATO forces in Eastern Europe before russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, hinting that these conditions remain relevant for russia.
Such statements once again demonstrate that russia is not interested in ending the war. Instead of agreeing to real de-escalation measures, including a ceasefire moscow is putting forward demands to Ukraine’s allies. This is part of the long-standing kremlin rhetoric about the supposed “root causes of the war” — NATO’s expansion, “threats to russia,” and so on. Such messages attempt to impose a false agenda on the world: as if the question of peace depends on NATO’s decisions, not the kremlin’s
