Russia: "Fourth Anniversary of Ukraine Operation... Objectives Not Yet Achieved, We Will Keep Fighting"

"Open to a Peaceful Resolution... Depends on Ukraine's Decisions"

On the 24th (local time), the fourth anniversary of the start of its "special military operation" in Ukraine, Russia stated that it has not yet fully achieved its objectives and declared that it will continue fighting.

According to TASS news agency, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said at a briefing that day, "The special military operation will continue because the objectives have not been fully achieved." However, he also claimed that Russia has already achieved many of its goals.

Russia launched its special military operation in Ukraine on February 24, 2022, and has since taken control of a significant part of the eastern Donbas region (Donetsk and Luhansk), as well as parts of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. Russia is demanding that Ukraine cede the entire territory of Donbas.

Vladimir Putin, President of Russia. Yonhap News

Regarding the three rounds of trilateral talks involving the United States, Russia, and Ukraine aimed at reaching an agreement to end the war, Peskov said, "Although the special military operation is ongoing, Russia remains open to achieving its objectives by political and diplomatic means." He added that the time and place for a fourth round of talks have not yet been decided and that they will be announced once agreed.

Peskov stressed, "Russia's position in seeking peace is clear and consistent," adding, "Everything depends on Ukraine's actions."

He went on to explain that guaranteeing the safety of people in the Donbas region, who had been in danger, is one of the main objectives. In addition to securing control over Donbas, Russia is demanding measures such as the demilitarization of Ukraine, claiming these are necessary to guarantee Russia's security, but Ukraine rejects these demands.

He claimed that Russia had tried from the outset to resolve the Ukraine issue by peaceful means and was in fact close to an agreement, but that the process reverted to a military path after the United Kingdom intervened. He was referring to the breakdown of peace talks in 2022, in the early phase of the special military operation in Ukraine. Peskov criticized Western countries, arguing that after they became involved in the Ukraine conflict, the special military operation escalated into a broader confrontation between Russia and the West.

On the same day in Russia, arguments were also made that the special military operation in Ukraine was Ukraine's fault. In an interview with RIA Novosti news agency, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said, "For many years, Ukraine pursued policies that violated the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership with Russia, and this was regarded as a refusal to comply with the treaty. As a result, the Russian leadership decided to launch the special military operation."

Regarding Ukraine's attempts to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), she argued, "The unchecked territorial expansion of the alliance (NATO) moved toward our borders, including through Ukraine, and this became one of the root causes of the conflict."

She added, "It is impossible to resolve the Ukraine issue without eliminating this. Russia will resolve this matter either militarily or politically. We have already presented several options."