Kremlin Says Moscow Prioritizes Special Military Operations, Russia Will Not Create Concessions On Ukraine

JAKARTA - Russia is focused on special military operations instead of Syria, not making concessions regarding its conflict with Ukraine, two senior Moscow officials said.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia was focused on special military operations in Ukraine that were of priority as directed by President Vladimir Putin.

Russia does not worry about its influence in the Middle East region, along with the fall of President Bashar al-Assad's government in Syria which is one of Moscow's allies.

Peskov said Russia maintains contact with all countries in the region and will continue to do so.

"You certainly know that we are in contact with those who are currently in control of the situation in Syria," Peskov told reporters.

Peskov further said Moscow's priority was war in Ukraine, which President Vladimir Putin called a "special military operation".

"Special military operations are an absolute priority for our country: we must ensure our security interests, the interests of the Russian people, and we will," Peskov said.

Separately, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Maria Zakharova said Moscow would not make concessions related to Ukraine, stressing President Putin's proposal on how to end the conflict.

Zakharova said that regarding the call of US President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday on an immediate ceasefire and negotiations between Ukraine and Russia to end the "crazy".

Zakharova said Russia was ready to engage with a new US administration on Ukraine, but had not yet accepted serious options and could be implemented to address what it said was a legitimate Russian security issue and concerns about the rights of Russian-speaking Ukrainians.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded to Trump's comments saying Kyiv needed effective security guarantees.

But Zakharova said anyone who thought Russia would make a concession regarding Ukraine wrong.

"First, Russia acts. Second, if one expects Russia to make some kind of concession, it seems these people have short memories and inadequate knowledge of the matter," he explained.

President Putin's proposal regarding peace needs to be implemented, he said.

The peace proposal in question is that Ukraine Ukraine should not join NATO. Then, the recognition of the four Ukrainian territories that are now said to have become part of Russia.

It is known that Russia and Iran are known to support the Bashar al-Assad Government when the civil war in Syria broke out in 2011.

Long before, Moscow had supported Syria since the start of the Cold War, acknowledging its independence in 1944 when Damascus attempted to break free from French colonial rule. Meanwhile, the West sees Syria as a Soviet satellite.

Syrian insurgent groups launched massive attacks on parts of Syria in late November, before taking control of the capital by the weekend, marking the collapse of President Assad's government.