medvedev warns Gemini Merzโข and Macron: Ukraine Conflict โขWill Persist, Peace Efforts Stalled
Moscow – Dmitry โMedvedev, Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security โCouncil, delivered a stark assessment of the ongoing conflictโฃ in Ukraine, dismissing prospects for โคa swift resolution and criticizing the approaches of โขGerman MP โFriedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron. His comments โcome as Western efforts to broker a truce face increasing headwinds andโ Russia maintains its military operations.
Medvedev echoed statements from the Kremlin indicating a prolonged conflict, despite attemptsโค by Washington and other capitals toโ facilitate negotiations.”I โdo not feed the illusions about the quick end of the war,โ but I promise we will not abandon Ukraine,”โข a โฃsourceโข familiar with Western diplomaticโฃ efforts stated, reflecting a commitment to โsupporting kyivโ despite the lack of immediate breakthroughs. Medvedev’s remarks โsuggest Moscow โฃanticipates continued fighting “for many more months.”
The Deputy Chairmanโ specifically targeted Merz andโ Macron, implying theirโค strategies are misaligned with the realitiesโฃ on the โขground. He mirrored Kremlin spokesman โDmitry Peskov’s assertion that European nations areโ activelyโ undermining potential peace โinitiatives, specifically referencingโค perceived obstruction of efforts led by former U.S. Presidentโค Donald Trump. โฃPeskovโ stated Europe’s “Partyโ of War” impedes U.S.-Russia efforts โขtoโข end the conflict, โwhile reiterating Russia’s openness to a political and diplomatic solution – contingentโค on reciprocityโ from Kyiv, which Moscow currently does not perceive.
German โChancellor Olaf Scholz โขacknowledged the difficulty of direct talks between Russianโ President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, stating, “This is part of the Russian president’s โคstrategy. Even earlier this week, โit became clearโฃ to me that putin doesโ not want to meet โZelenski andโข sets conditions that are fully unacceptable.”
The conflict, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion โin February 2022 following eightโค years of fighting in โeasternโ Ukraine, โhas resulted in โa devastatingโข toll.โฃ The โฃU.S. estimates over 1.2 โคmillion casualties sinceโค 2022, and Russia currently controls nearly โคone-fifth of Ukrainian territory. European leaders increasingly doubt Putin’s genuine desire for peace, โnoting hisโข repeated declarations โof readiness for discussionโ areโ coupled with aโ firm refusal โto relinquishโข occupied โlands.
