Ryabkov: Ceasefire in Ukraine threatens consequences without eliminating causes

A quick ceasefire without a long-term settlement in Ukraine being pushed by the US was unacceptable to Russia, Moscow said on Monday as Kyiv marked the third anniversary of the invasion.

Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov warned of serious consequences, including for Russia-America relations, if there was a ceasefire without a settlement.

"We can recognise with sufficient confidence the desire of the American side to move towards a quick ceasefire," he was quoted as saying by state media RIA.

“We do not want this."

Referring to the causes of the Ukrainian crisis, the Deputy Foreign Minister noted: "The special military operation could not fail to begin. We simply had no alternative, since the underlying causes of the crisis were largely ripening as a result of the destructive policy of Washington and European capitals towards Eastern Europe, Ukraine, which had been carried out for decades. As a result, all this led to the crisis."