Russia Rejects Freezing Ukraine Conflict Without Addressing 'Root Causes', Nebenzia Says

In brief

• Russia's UN ambassador Vasily Nebenzia said Moscow will not accept a freeze of the war in Ukraine that leaves current security threats in place.
• He tied any settlement to removing what he called the war's root causes, which Moscow lists as western threats, the rights of Russian speakers and neo-Nazi ideology.
• The position follows earlier statements by Lavrov and Peskov rejecting ceasefires that would lock in current lines.

Nebenzia's position at the Security Council

Speaking at a Security Council session, Nebenzia said Russia will not agree to a freeze of the conflict that would preserve the threats Moscow sees to its security and create conditions for renewed escalation (Небензя заявив, що Росія не погодиться на заморожування війни в Україні без усунення її "першопричин" – Espreso). He called Russia's position firm and unchanged, and said any settlement must be comprehensive, durable and long-term, removing what he described as the war's 'root causes'.

What Moscow says the root causes are

According to Nebenzia, those root causes include what he called strategic threats from the western direction, the alleged infringement of the rights of Russian and Russian-speaking people in Ukraine, and the spread of neo-Nazi ideology in the country. He argued that without settling these issues no agreement would produce lasting peace. These are Moscow's claims; they have not been verified.

Russia's stance on ceasefires

The statement fits a pattern. In August, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia was not ready for a truce that would lock in the current front line and would keep fighting until a 'long-term, reliable and sustainable' settlement on its terms. In September, Lavrov said Moscow would pursue its goals on the battlefield rather than at the negotiating table and that it was not currently conducting peace talks. On October 30, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said preparations for talks in Abu Dhabi did not involve commitments to limit fighting, and that Russia opposed a ceasefire that would give Ukrainians a respite.

Ukrainian and Russian coverage

State-aligned Russian outlets carried the same message, presenting it as Russia's refusal to accept a 'frozen' conflict (Небензя заявил, что Россия не согласится на заморозку конфликта на Украине – osnmedia.ru) (Небензя раскрыл, на что никогда не согласится Россия в конфликте на Украине – kp.ru). Ukrainian coverage confirms that Nebenzia made the statement at the Security Council. No change in Russia's negotiating position or any proposed date for talks was reported in the material reviewed.