Russia Wants A Long-Term Peace Agreement With Ukraine, Not A Quick Armistice

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov. (Twitter/@mfa_russia)

JAKARTA - Moscow's senior diplomat told the RIA News Agency Russia wanted a long-term peace deal with Ukraine to deal with the cause of the conflict, not a US-backed fast ceasefire.

In an interview released on Monday, coinciding with the three-year anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Moscow wanted the Ukraine deal to last a time test.

"We can recognize with sufficient confidence the Americans want to move towards a quick ceasefire," RIA reported, citing Ryabkov's statement.

"However, a ceasefire without long-term settlement is a path to rapid resumption of fighting and the resumption of conflict with more serious consequences, including consequences for Russia-American relations. We don't want this," he continued.

"We need to find a long-term solution, which in turn, of course, must include elements addressing the root cause of what has been happening inside and around Ukraine," said Deputy Foreign Minister Ryabkov.

The Russia-US talks held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia last week, which Moscow said agreed to work on restoring bilateral relations and preparing for war talks in Ukraine, did not provide greater clarity on President Donald Trump's peace plan for Ukraine, Ryabkov said.

He repeated Moscow's stance, they had no choice but to launch what he called "special military operations" in Ukraine - something Ukraine and the West called a "uncontrolled" brutal colonial-style conquest war - because of what he said was an extension of the NATO alliance to the "uncontrolled" east.

He also complained about what he called stepping on the rights of Russian-speaking citizens in Ukraine, repeating accusations Kyiv denies.