Moscow will consider the US president-elect’s ideas but will not compromise on its national interests, Sergey Ryabkov has warned
Russia is open to hearing US President-elect Donald Trump’s plans for resolving the Ukraine conflict, but has not yet received any concrete proposals, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov has told CNN.
Trump has repeatedly claimed that he could end the fighting between Russia and Ukraine in just 24 hours once he assumes office. However, since his victory in the presidential election last month, Moscow has not had any direct contact with Trump or his team regarding the issue, Ryabkov said.
The diplomat stressed that Russia will examine the future US president’s ideas once he is ready to present them, but stressed that Moscow will under no circumstances compromise on its core national interests.
In the interview, Ryabkov also said there is currently “zero” chance of a compromise between Moscow and Kiev, as the positions laid out by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky appear to be “incompatible.”
“The moment people in Kiev begin to understand there’s no way Russia will go the way they suggested – there might be openings and opportunities,” the diplomat told CNN.
Ryabkov also stated that the current geopolitical tensions between Russia and the West are at an unprecedented level, even compared to the height of the Cold War, and expressed concern that the associated risks continue to grow.
The deputy minister cautioned that there is “no magic solution” to the conflict and accused the West of lacking common sense, restraint and “sober analysis,” while underestimating Russia’s resolve to defend its core security interests.
“We have not lost our senses. We will not let ourselves be provoked into anything,” Ryabkov said, adding that Russia nevertheless has the “stamina and strong will” to defend its national interest “with all means,” regardless of how much money the US burns in the conflict, or what “people in the EU believe they should do to support Kiev.”
“We will prevail there, no doubt,” the diplomat said.
Ryabkov went on to stress that Russia could eventually be forced to resort to “even stronger military means” than it has so far, if Washington fails to recognize that “Moscow cannot be pressurized indefinitely.”
He also issued a warning to the outgoing Biden administration, stressing that Russia would respond to any provocations and “find a way to assert our strong will.”
