Russian official says Ukraine peace initiative with US is ‘stalling’

Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoygu said Thursday that the Russian-US peace initiative on Ukraine was “stalling.”

“The main obstacle to its implementation remains the complete absence of political will for peace on the part of the Kyiv regime and its constant desire for escalation,” he said at the International Security Forum in the Moscow region.

Shoygu argued that the Ukrainian leadership feared a settlement because it would have to answer for the consequences of its policies, including what he described as a demographic crisis in the country.

“I want to emphasize once again – we stand for peace and propose it,” he said.

“We understand that it is in the interests of the population living in Ukraine to move toward a long-term peaceful settlement. But for this, confrontation and neo-Nazi Russophobic ideology must be rejected.”

Shoygu also argued that Kyiv had an economic interest in prolonging the conflict because of its dependence on Western financial assistance.

“Ukraine’s budget depends entirely on Western aid, and no one will allocate money without a war,” he said.

He also claimed Ukraine was facing growing economic difficulties, including rising debt and dependence on Western financial support.

“How and with what Kyiv will repay these debts is unclear,” Shoygu added.

Before the meeting began, participants were shown a video address by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who described nuclear proliferation, extremism, drug trafficking and cybercrime as major threats facing the international community.

Putin also said global security meetings were especially important at a time when the world faced serious challenges.

Organizers said representatives of the US Embassy in Moscow attended the forum for the first time in years.

Delegations from Hungary, Israel, Moldova and Switzerland also participated in the event, according to organizers.