Sibiga explained the consequences of Putin's refusal to negotiate
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga stated that Vladimir Putin’s rejection of the proposal for direct peace talks only worsens Russia’s position and deprives it of the chance to end the war on acceptable terms. According to him, the situation will only become more difficult for the Kremlin—both on the front lines, in the economy, and on the international stage.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga wrote about this on social media platform X, commenting on the Russian leadership’s rejection of the idea of direct talks proposed by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
According to Sibiga, this move represents a missed opportunity for Putin to find a way out of a war that, in his view, is already a failure for Russia. “By rejecting President Zelenskyy’s proposal for direct peace talks, Putin has lost his chance to exit this war, which is a failure for him. Things will only get worse for Russia from here on out,” the foreign minister stated.
He emphasized that Russia’s military losses, in his estimation, will only increase, while economic pressure within the country will intensify, leading to a deepening recession, rising taxes, and inflation that will hit the population hard. Separately, Sibiga emphasized that, in his opinion, there are no longer any safe zones left on Russian territory that are not affected by the consequences of Ukraine’s so-called “long-range sanctions,” and their intensity will only increase in the future.
He also noted that international pressure on Russia will intensify, particularly through the use of frozen assets, travel restrictions, and prosecution for war crimes. “Russia will still have to agree to a diplomatic settlement, but the terms will be much worse,” the minister emphasized.
Sibiga also stated that the Russian leadership is mistaken in hoping for Ukraine’s weakening or a reduction in support from international partners, and urged that the reality of the situation not be ignored. In his view, Putin’s rejection of peace initiatives should serve as grounds for even greater international pressure on Russia and increased support for Ukraine from its allies. “Putin’s rejection of peace must lead to a significant intensification of international pressure on Russia and an increase in support for Ukraine,” Sibiga concluded. The foreign minister wrote about this on the social media platform X.
Zelenskyy published an open letter to Putin – full text.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Moscow is allegedly ready for negotiations to end the war against Ukraine, but sees no willingness for dialogue on the Ukrainian side.
Putin is not changing course and continues to finance the war.
