Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has no desire to conduct peace negotiations to end the war, First Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Sergiy Kyslytsya said in an interview with state news agency Ukrinform. Kyslytsya stated that Putin will have even less motivation to negotiate between the start of winter and mid-March because the Russian leader believes Ukrainians are not strong enough to survive the cold season.
Despite Moscow's unwillingness to talk, Kyslytsya emphasized that Ukraine continues to pursue diplomatic options to conclude the conflict. He warned that stopping diplomatic work would be wrong and dangerous, as opponents are attempting to persuade foreign governments that Kyiv rejects peace and favors escalation.
The Office of the President serves as the executive advisory body supporting Ukraine's leadership in foreign and defense policy. Ukrinform is Ukraine's national news agency.
US Diplomatic Contacts and Delayed Visits
Kyslytsya highlighted the importance of an upcoming visit to Kyiv by negotiators from Washington, noting that the trip has already been postponed several times. He described recent bilateral relations between Ukraine and the United States as unprecedented, with an extraordinary level of mutual understanding established between June and August.
According to Kyslytsya, the Ukrainian president held frequent remote and in-person discussions with the US leader over the past two and a half months. These included telephone calls on June 14 and July 4, followed by talks at the Group of Seven summit in Evian, France. The Group of Seven brings together major advanced democracies.
The G7 discussions included bilateral meetings as well as trilateral conversations with French President Emmanuel Macron. Kyslytsya noted that US President Donald Trump made significant statements during closed-door sessions in Evian, though he declined to disclose specific details. The leaders also conducted further talks during a subsequent meeting in Ankara, Turkey.
Ceasefire Proposals and Russian Rejections
Reporting on the state of peace initiatives, news agency UNIAN noted that Ukraine submitted formal proposals for ending the war to American negotiators on August 12. Earlier, on August 3, Ukrainian officials offered Russia an immediate truce covering three key areas: military positions along the front line, aerial attacks, and energy infrastructure. Russia did not agree to the offer.
The Kremlin continues to reject all proposals for a ceasefire. Analysts from the Institute for the Study of War, a United States research organization, stated that Russia shows no willingness to end the conflict on any terms short of meeting its maximalist demands, which effectively call for Ukraine's capitulation.
