The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported on 18 April that Kremlin mouthpieces and officials continue to reject all US proposals to end the war in Ukraine that do not concede to Russia’s full demands—regime change, demilitarization, and significant territorial concessions—while reiterating calls to eliminate the so-called “root causes” of the war, directly contradicting US President Donald Trump’s stated objective of achieving a lasting peace in Ukraine.
Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya reaffirmed President Vladimir Putin’s rejection of a general ceasefire in Ukraine on 18 April, calling the idea “unrealistic” and accusing Kyiv of allegedly violating a moratorium on long-range strikes against energy infrastructure over the past month.
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Previously, Putin had already rejected a 30-day ceasefire proposal during a 18 March call with US President Donald Trump, ISW notes. Since then, senior Russian officials have echoed Putin’s stance, while attempting to shift blame onto Ukraine and extract further concessions from Washington.
On 17 April, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told US Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a phone call that US-Russian negotiations must “comprehensively” address the so-called “root causes” of the war. These include alleged NATO violations and discrimination against Russian language, media, and culture in Ukraine—claims that have served as justification for Russia’s invasion and continued military operations.
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Kremlin-aligned voices continue to categorically reject US ceasefire and peace initiatives that do not include total concessions from Ukraine. These include regime change, the country’s demilitarization, and broad territorial losses. Russian officials have repeatedly tied the resolution of the war to what they call the elimination of its “root causes,” referring to long-standing Russian demands that starkly contradict US President Donald Trump’s aim of achieving a lasting peace in Ukraine.
On 18 April, Russian propagandist Margarita Simonyan called the reported US plan to freeze the war a “bad deal for Russia,” saying it ignored demands for “denazification,” recognition of occupied territories, and security guarantees, adding, “there can be no negotiating with the insane.”
Russian Security Council Deputy Chairperson Dmitry Medvedev echoed this rhetoric in a social media post on 18 April, calling on the US to “wash its hands” of the war and let Russia “figure it out faster.”
ISW: Russia resists territorial compromises in future peace talks
Russia sticks to pre-2022 demands
Russian officials, including Putin, have consistently reiterated that any peace agreement must fulfill their full list of political and territorial demands, including “denazification”—a term used to justify regime change and the installation of a pro-Russian government in Kyiv. ISW notes that Russia also seeks demilitarization to the extent that Ukraine cannot defend itself against future aggression, referencing the Kremlin’s demands in the April 2022 Istanbul Protocol draft agreement.
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Moscow continues to insist on territorial concessions that go beyond the currently occupied areas. Putin reportedly emphasized his fixation on territorial demands in meetings with US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, as reported by the Wall Street Journal on 17 April. Russian officials appear to regard these demands as fixed elements of the Kremlin’s negotiating strategy.
