It comes as no surprise that the Kremlin has rejected the proposed ceasefire in Ukraine. “Russia will continue to escalate its demands in line with its tradition, interpreting any concessions as signs of weakness and consequently raising the stakes further. As long as Russian forces keep moving the frontline in Ukraine to their advantage, there can be no realistic discussion about a ceasefire or peace,” Professor Przemysław Żurawski vel Grajewski, a political scientist from the University of Łódź, told the Niezalezna.pl portal.
“Moscow does not want a temporary ceasefire with Ukraine. A ceasefire would only offer temporary relief for the Ukrainian military,” said Yuri Ushakov, an advisor to Russian President Vladimir Putin on international affairs.
“Russia will only agree to a long-term peace settlement that addresses all of its legitimate interests and concerns,” added Ushakov, as quoted by Meduza.
This indicates that Russia will not accept any solutions unless they meet Russian demands regarding the war in Ukraine. This position was also previously confirmed by Sergey Lavrov, Russia’s Foreign Minister.
“The formation of Russia’s stance does not occur abroad through negotiations or the efforts of external parties. It occurs within the Russian Federation,” emphasized Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Following discussions in Saudi Arabia between delegations from the US and Ukraine, a temporary 30-day ceasefire was proposed as a first step toward a fair resolution to the conflict. Both delegations, however, noted that subsequent actions now depend on Russia.
“Russia’s objective is not merely capturing a specific part of Ukrainian territory, but conquering the entire country and turning Ukraine into a launchpad for further European expansion aimed at ousting the United States and fragmenting NATO. Partial concessions won’t resolve anything,” Professor Żurawski vel Grajewski explained to Niezalezna.pl.
“That’s why Russia’s rejection of the Ukrainian-American proposal didn’t surprise me. Russia will continue escalating demands, seeing concessions as weakness. As long as the Russian army advances the frontline in Ukraine, there’s no possibility for a genuine ceasefire or peace,” he added.
The situation could shift, however, if Russia begins suffering defeats. “If this happens, Putin would need time to rebuild military resources,” noted the expert.
“The Kremlin’s decision might surprise Donald Trump’s team in Washington. People accustomed to rational calculations of losses and gains, primarily in a business context, could find it difficult to understand Russia’s refusal of such proposals,” said Professor Żurawski vel Grajewski.
“The most intriguing question could be identifying precisely what demand the Americans expect Russia to fulfill,” the political scientist observed.
It certainly won’t be Russia turning away from China, as even Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged that Washington no longer expects such a scenario. However, the choice of Saudi Arabia as the venue for diplomatic talks suggests the demand might relate to the Middle East—possibly severing Russia’s strategic ties with Iran, a matter deeply significant not only to the US but also to Saudi Arabia, Professor Żurawski vel Grajewski concluded.
Nevertheless, he expressed skepticism, concluding, “I doubt Russia will fulfill this demand either.”
