Russia insists on drawn-out process for Ukraine peace negotiations
- The Russian government considers ongoing peace efforts to be a slow and difficult process.
- U.S. President Donald Trump has shown frustration towards President Putin's comments undermining Zelenskyy's government.
- Continuing violence and recent military actions emphasize the need for international pressure on Russia.
On March 30, 2025, the Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, communicated that Russia perceives the ongoing attempts to resolve its conflict with Ukraine as a 'drawn-out process.' This statement followed U.S. President Donald Trump's expressed frustration over Russian President Vladimir Putin's dismissive comments regarding Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's legitimacy to negotiate a peace settlement. Trump criticized Putin for calling for elections in Ukraine and questioning Zelenskyy's credibility. The Kremlin has declined a proposal from the U.S. for a full 30-day ceasefire in fighting between the two nations, instead suggesting conditions for a limited ceasefire in the Black Sea, complicating negotiations further. Amid this backdrop, Ukraine was subjected to another drone attack. Within the same timeframe, Russia's Defense Ministry claimed to have intercepted numerous Ukrainian drones, highlighting the persistent violence and ongoing military strategies employed by both sides as the region braces itself for a new wave of combat operations scheduled for spring-summer 2025. Both Ukrainian officials and analysts suggest mounting international pressure and potential new sanctions on Russia as necessary to advance negotiations and foster peace, with Zelenskyy urging continued support from global allies to escape this cycle of violence—a cycle that has persisted since the war's inception in February 2022.