Zaharova: The Ball Is in Kyiv’s Court

Russia is prepared to resume negotiations with Ukraine on the principles of a settlement, the timeline of a potential peace agreement, and even the introduction of a temporary ceasefire. These were among the topics addressed in the weekly press briefing by Maria Zaharova, who also spoke about the Istanbul peace talks and emphasized that both Ukraine and the European Union have a vested interest in continuing the war. In response to a question from Magyar Nemzet, the Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman stated that direct communication between President Putin and President Trump has a clear impact on the peace process.

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zaharova (Source: mid.ru)

At her weekly press conference summarizing the Russia-Ukraine war, Maria Zaharova began by noting that on May 11, President Vladimir Putin proposed the immediate, unconditional resumption of direct bilateral peace talks in Istanbul on May 15 — talks that had been cut short by Kyiv in the spring of 2022 under Western pressure.

War: Russia is ready to resume negotiations with Ukraine. Maria Zaharova, spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry (Photo: AFP)

The Kyiv regime reacted in its usual hysterical fashion. Volodymyr Zelensky, clinging to a policy that harms his own people and prevents long-term peace, staged a political show and continued to make public accusations against our country's leadership and the Russian delegation—accusations that are far from diplomatic protocol,

– Maria Zaharova declared at her weekly press briefing.

The Russian foreign ministry's spokeswoman recalled that Mr. Zelensky took an inordinate amount of time to decide whether Ukraine would participate in the negotiations proposed by the Russian president. “He engaged in endless consultations with his European envoys, who openly sought to block the resumption of direct dialogue with us, all the while trying to pin the blame for stalling the talks on Moscow,” Ms. Zaharova said.

Russia Proposed the Prisoner Exchange

Ms. Zaharova emphasized that

this attempt failed. All they managed to do was exert psychological pressure on our delegation, which—per President Vladimir Putin’s announcement—arrived in Istanbul on May 15 fully prepared to negotiate with the Ukrainian representatives.

The Russian spokeswoman said that Ukrainian leaders “naively believed that by delaying the talks, they could force Moscow to walk away entirely — but the show orchestrated by Mr. Zelensky ended in complete failure.”

During the nearly two-hour negotiations held on May 16, several agreements were reached between Russia and Ukraine, including the largest prisoner swap in three years—one thousand for one thousand—and a mutual pledge to submit written proposals for a future ceasefire.

A possibility of a new Russia-Ukraine meeting was also discussed.

The idea for the prisoner exchange originated with Russia, and the proposal came from our delegation leaders. No one else can claim credit for this achievement,

– the spokeswoman said.

Russia Reaffirms Its Intent to Settle Ukraine Conflict

Rgarding the phone conversation between President Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, Ms. Zaharova said:

The leaders of the United States engaged in a sincere and substantive exchange about the current situation surrounding Ukraine and the possible paths toward a political resolution, taking into account the results of the Istanbul discussions.

Ms. Zaharova emphasized that Russia reaffirmed its commitment to a final and just resolution. She said that Moscow will propose that Kyiv work on a memorandum for a future peace agreement. She also stressed that “moving toward a resolution requires all parties to understand that this goal cannot be achieved without addressing the root causes of the conflict.”

The spokeswoman added that numerous details still need to be negotiated, including the principles of a settlement, the timeline for a peace agreement, and, if all other conditions are met, the implementation of a temporary ceasefire.

We are ready to continue negotiations with Ukraine on these matters. President Trump fully accepted this approach. Now the ball is in Kyiv’s court,

– she emphasized. 

Zaharova: Kyiv and the European Union Seek to Prolong the War

According to the spokeswoman, this is a critical moment for decision-making, “given the hysterical and contradictory statements, actions, and measures we’ve seen so far.”

Speculations about Mr. Zelensky’s previous desire for peace must be backed by concrete action. We do not expect sound judgment from Bankova Street [the Ukrainian presidential office], but we hope that the instinct for national survival will prevail, and that Kyiv will adopt a constructive position,

– she said, recalling that following the talks, Mr. Zelensky and his European supporters immediately called for stricter sanctions against Russia.

Once again, we’re hearing the same old tunes — that Russia cannot be trusted, and must be ‘punished’ for not honoring the 30-day ceasefire ultimatum, which Kyiv and its EU sponsors attempted to portray as a step toward resolution,

– Ms. Zaharova said, adding emphatically that

Russia does not respond to ultimatums.

The Russian spokeswoman stated that neither Kyiv nor the European Union has any real interest in securing peace. 

They don’t want peace. Their goal is to buy time—at any cost—for the Ukrainian armed forces to rebuild their military capabilities and continue confronting Russia,

– Ms. Zaharova said, adding that

this reminds me of the Western narrative that you can’t negotiate during a war. So who is continuing the war? Who is committing daily crimes against civilians? Paris, Berlin, London, and Brussels - collectively - should keep that in mind, and I’ll be there to remind them.

– she said. 

Putin–Trump Direct Talks Have a Clear Impact on Peace Process

The U.S. president is more than actively analyzing and understanding the situation surrounding Ukraine,

 – Maria Zaharova said, responding to a question from Magyar Nemzet.

All developments related to Ukraine — as well as Mr. Trump’s discussions with foreign counterparts — are being pursued with the clear intent of implementing the agreements reached. There is also ongoing dialogue about the need to resolve the situation

– she said, stressing that there is a clear, direct impact on the peace process.

They are issuing instructions to their staff, administrations, and diplomats. They are making proposals and writing reports. Donald Trump, President of the United States, spoke of the need to address the root causes of the crisis — not just to apply surface-level solutions. His deep and genuine understanding of the situation is yet another indication of the direct influence he holds.

Cover photo: Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marija Zaharova (Source: mid.ru)