“We fought for 21 years”: Did Medinsky turn negotiations into a history lecture?

The latest round of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine ended in disappointment. There was no practical agreement reached regarding peace. The two sides merely stated they would "try to agree again later." The only concrete result was an agreement to exchange up to 1,000 prisoners.

“We don’t want war, but...”

The head of the Russian delegation, historian and former Minister of Culture Vladimir Medinsky, once again showed his fondness for history. According to him, Russia does not seek war but is ready to fight “for a year, two, three — as long as it takes.” He cited the 21-year war with Sweden as an example and addressed the Ukrainian delegation with the words:

“We are ready to fight forever. Are you?”

He added that while more people around the table may die, that won’t stop Russia.

Threats concerning Sumy and Kharkiv

According to The Economist journalist Oliver Carroll, the Russian delegation threatened to create a buffer zone in Sumy Oblast and, if needed, to seize Sumy and Kharkiv. Ukrainian MP Oleksiy Honcharenko confirmed this claim.

30-day ceasefire proposal rejected

The Kyiv delegation proposed a 30-day ceasefire, but the Russian side firmly rejected it. Medinsky later told a Russian TV channel that asking for a ceasefire before peace talks shows ignorance of history. He stated that war and negotiations have always gone hand in hand — even referencing Bismarck.

Only prisoner exchange agreed

No practical progress toward ending the war was achieved. The only agreement reached was to exchange up to 1,000 prisoners between Russia and Ukraine.

Zamin.uz commentary:
Peace talks are turning into platforms for historical arguments and bold rhetoric rather than practical results. Medinsky’s words sound more like a lecture than diplomacy. Unless real steps toward peace are taken, these talks will remain meaningless.

What do you think of the negotiations? What’s the most realistic solution in your opinion? Isn’t it time to stop with the history lessons? Read 'Zamin' on Telegram!