Moscow Warns Against Deadlines as Ukraine Conflict Nears Possible Resolution

The resolution of the conflict in Ukraine has truly drawn closer, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said during an appearance on the program 60 Minutes. According to him, recent developments mark a meaningful shift toward a potential agreement.

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"I believe that December 25, 2025, will remain in our collective memory as a milestone-the moment when we came closer, genuinely closer, to a solution,” Ryabkov said. "Whether we manage to make the final push and reach an agreement now depends on us, on our work, and on the political will of the other side.”

Russia Accuses Kyiv and Europe of Undermining Talks

Ryabkov stated that Ukraine and its European partners are not currently oriented toward compromise. Instead, he said, they have "doubled their efforts” to derail any potential agreement.

He cautioned against announcing specific dates for resolving the conflict, calling such predictions inappropriate. Ryabkov reiterated this position in the same broadcast on Russia 1, emphasizing that artificial timelines distract from substantive negotiations.

No Deadlines, Focus on Substance

Commenting on remarks by US Permanent Representative to NATO Matthew Whitaker, who suggested the conflict could end within three months, Ryabkov dismissed the usefulness of imposed deadlines.

"No artificial timeframes will help here-no deadlines, whether nine days or 90 days,” he said. "They do not contribute to real work. Instead of staring at calendar pages and setting arbitrary dates, we must focus on the essence of the issue.”

Ongoing Contacts with the United States

On December 20-21, Russian presidential envoy for investment and economic cooperation Kirill Dmitriev met in Miami with US presidential special envoy Steve Witkoff and Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner. At the same time, a new round of consultations between US representatives and a Ukrainian delegation began on December 19, including discussions of a 20-point peace plan. All three sides described the meetings as constructive.

On December 24, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Dmitriev had presented President Vladimir Putin with proposals discussed with the American side during the Miami talks. Moscow's immediate task, Peskov said, involves formulating a position on these initiatives and maintaining dialogue with Washington.

The following day, Peskov added that Russia continues to analyze the proposals. "After that, depending on the decisions taken by the head of state, we will continue our communication with the Americans,” he said.