Russia ready for Ukraine peace ideas, but sets conditions

MOSCOW: Russia is prepared to consider fresh proposals aimed at ending the war in Ukraine, but any initiative must take account of what Moscow describes as the “realities on the ground”, a senior Russian diplomat said on Friday.

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Moscow remained willing to maintain dialogue with Washington, while questioning whether the United States could exert enough influence over Kyiv and its European supporters to move negotiations forward.

His comments came as diplomatic efforts to end the conflict remain largely stalled, with international attention also focused on the wider tensions surrounding the war in Iran.

In an interview with Russian media outlet News.ru, Ryabkov said Moscow had seen signs that Washington was prepared for constructive discussions and showed some understanding of Russia’s position.

“At this stage, it is more important to what extent Washington is able to influence the decisions of the Kyiv regime and its European sponsors,” he said.

Ryabkov accused some European countries of continuing to seek what he called a “strategic defeat” of Russia, highlighting one of the central obstacles facing any potential peace agreement.

Moscow Awaits New Proposals

Russia and the United States have held discussions aimed at finding a path towards ending the Ukraine conflict, but negotiations have made little visible progress.

The Kremlin said on Thursday that it had not received information about a possible new visit to Moscow by US presidential envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff. The two have previously played prominent roles in contacts with Russian officials.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last month that Washington remained committed to helping end the war after meeting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Manila.

However, Rubio also warned against expecting a rapid agreement, saying Washington was attempting to find a middle ground between the positions of the two sides.

Ryabkov said Russia would be ready to examine any proposals put forward by Washington, provided they were consistent with Moscow’s stated objectives.

“The Russian Federation is ready to listen to any reasonable proposals and ideas that are in line with the goals set by the Russian president and meet the ‘realities on the ground’,” he said.

Territorial Disputes Remain Central

The comments underline the continuing importance of territory in the negotiations.

After almost four and a half years of war, Russia controls around one-fifth of Ukraine’s internationally recognised territory.

Moscow has repeatedly said it is willing to negotiate, but insists that any settlement must acknowledge what it calls the new realities created by the conflict.

Ukraine and its Western allies have opposed recognising Russian territorial gains, making the issue one of the most difficult elements of any potential peace agreement.

The challenge for Washington is therefore not simply bringing Moscow and Kyiv back to negotiations, but finding terms that could satisfy competing demands over territory, security guarantees and the future political order in the region.

Nuclear Dialogue Also on the Table

Ryabkov also signalled that Moscow wants to keep diplomatic channels open with Washington on nuclear weapons.

The issue has gained urgency since the New START treaty expired in February, leaving Russia and the United States without binding limits on their strategic nuclear arsenals for the first time in more than five decades.

Moscow has said it would continue observing the treaty’s limits on missiles and warheads as long as Washington does the same.

“We remain open in the future to find political and diplomatic ways to stabilise this area,” Ryabkov said.

The nuclear issue adds another layer to an already complicated US-Russia relationship. Even as the two countries remain deeply divided over Ukraine, Moscow appears keen to prevent the collapse of communication on strategic weapons.

For now, Russia’s message is that the door to diplomacy remains open — but only proposals that reflect Moscow’s stated conditions and its view of the battlefield are likely to receive serious consideration.

With the war continuing and previous negotiations stalled, the next major test will be whether Washington can persuade Kyiv, Moscow and European governments to move beyond competing positions and return to substantive peace discussions.