IRKUTSK, July 24. /TASS/. Russia should exploit the dualism of the US administration's position on Ukraine to the extent that it aligns with Russia's interests, Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the Vesti news program’s journalist Pavel Zarubin.
He also noted that Ukraine’s new commander-in-chief, Mikhail Drapaty, would have to answer for his words about Russians, including Donbass residents.
TASS has summed up the Kremlin spokesman’s key statements.
Drapaty’s statements
Ukrainian newly appointed commander-in-chief Mikhail Drapaty’s statements about Russians, including Donbass residents, are appalling: "As for Drapaty, his statements are appalling."
Drapaty will answer for his words: "Naturally, I have no doubts that, one way or another, he will be held accountable for his words."
His words reveal his Nazi nature: "This shows, first and foremost, that he is a Nazi."
Drapaty’s statements about Donbass residents prove that their decision to quit Ukraine was right: "You know, given these statements, it’s clear that the residents of Donbas made the right decision to leave Ukraine. And it is clear that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin made the right decision to protect them by deciding to defend them. And it was the right decision that the special military operation is aimed at ending the war that was unleashed by the Kiev regime."
Drapaty and others like him will do everything possible to prevent Kiev from reaching a peaceful settlement to the conflict: "He and others like him will do everything they can to ensure that no representative of the Kiev regime takes any steps toward peaceful solutions."
Dualism of the US’ stance on Ukraine
Russia takes into account that the US continues to arm Ukraine: "We take into account, we bear in mind that they [the US] continue to arm Ukraine, as Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has also stated.
Moscow should exploit the dualism of the US administration's position on Ukraine to the extent that it aligns with Russia's interests: "But we must exploit this dualism in the [US President Donald] Trump administration's position to the extent that it aligns with our interests."
Ukrainian settlement
Russia will look forward to US ideas and proposals to resolve the Ukraine conflict: "We will await new proposals."
Russia sees that the United States, including President Donald Trump, is sincere in its desire to find ways to resolve the Ukrainian conflict peacefully: "The Americans are sincere, President Trump is sincere, and his negotiators are sincere in their desire to formulate options that are acceptable to everyone."
The US administration’s ambitions to help resolve the Ukraine conflict are totally in tune with Russia’s interests: "Their ambitions to contribute to finding a peaceful solution are totally in tune with our interests."
The US-proposed settlement option was accepted by Russia, but rejected by Ukraine: "The option they proposed was accepted by us, but not by the Ukrainians."
The United States failed to persuade Ukraine to resolve the conflict because European countries continued to incite Kiev: "The Americans failed to persuade the Ukrainians because, amid incitement from the Europeans, they were unable to change their position."
Achieving special operation’s objectives
While achieving goals with military means is not an ideal choice, Russia will press ahead with its special military operation, with no peaceful solutions in sight: "We are continuing our special military operation. That is, we continue to achieve our objectives with military means. That’s not a preferred solution, but we will press ahead until we win, with no peaceful solutions in sight."