Russian officials have confirmed that Russia's goals in Ukraine remain unchanged ahead of the Alaska summit on August 15, showing a lack of interest in serious peace talks. This was reported by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), reports News.bg.
According to the ISW assessment, the Kremlin is using the forum to present Russia as a global power equal to the US and to position President Vladimir Putin on an equal footing with US leader Donald Trump. The Trump administration has announced that they will not negotiate peace in Ukraine without an immediate ceasefire and official participation of Kiev in the process.
On August 13, Trump held a virtual meeting with selected European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in preparation for his meeting with Putin in Alaska. The US president reiterated that the US is ready to assist in future negotiations, but warned that Russia will suffer "very serious consequences" if it does not show serious readiness for a peace process.
The Deputy Director of the Information and Press Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Alexei Fadeev, stated that Moscow's position is unchanged from Putin's speech of June 14, 2024. Then the Russian leader outlined uncompromising conditions for "peace": Ukraine's complete withdrawal from Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhia and Kherson regions (including areas outside Russian control), demilitarization, "denazification" and the country's future neutrality.
ISW notes that Russia is preparing new offensive operations in priority sectors of the front, including in the Kherson region, as well as the resumption of long-range drone strikes against Ukrainian rear areas. Russian positions east and northeast of Dobropilya remain unstable, and penetrations into the area are limited and carried out by infantry sabotage and reconnaissance groups.
At the same time, Ukrainian forces are advancing in the northern part of Kharkiv region, the western part of Zaporizhia region, and in the Lyman and Toretsk regions, while Russian units are recording progress in the northern part of Sumy region and near Toretsk.
The Kremlin is also likely using the upcoming joint Russian-Belarusian exercises “Zapad-2025“ to intensify nuclear blackmail on the eve of the Alaska meeting.