The Russian ambassador to the UK has claimed there was one aspect of the Ukraine war which is “worrying” the Kremlin.
Speaking to the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Andrey Kelin slammed Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s supposed “victory plan,” which he has been presenting to Western allies, suggesting it was a concern.
The ambassador claimed: “What is worrying us is there is no peace in the peace plan presented by Zelenskyy. He did not want peace negotiations.
“He continues to ask for more and more Nato, European Union assistance, defence packages, anything. But nothing about negotiations at all.”
Ukraine has made it clear the war is not over until it reclaims all of its land from Russia, including Crimea, which was annexed in 2014.
But Moscow says it will only end the war when it can officially claim the Ukrainian land it currently occupies.
When Kuenssberg pointed out that Zelenskyy has said he will not negotiate with the Kremlin, Kelin smiled and said: “Fine, then he will lose more and more terrain.”
Russia currently occupies around 18% of Ukraine’s entire territory.
Ukraine did turn the tables and seize a comparably small Russian region called Kursk in August, but its troops are now slowly losing ground.
Kuenssberg also asked the ambassador about growing speculation that Russia is leaning on authoritarian states to prop up the war.
She said: “Are you comfortable, as an experienced diplomat of many decades, with having to rely on support from pariah states like North Korea and Iran?”
He said: “For you perhaps, it is pariah states – for us, it is normal people.”
The ambassador added that just because those countries have “different views” should not stop Russia having a relationship with them.
Kuenssberg then suggested: “Isn’t the truth here that you and Vladimir Putin are both sitting in grand luxury refusing to budge while thousands of civilians – Russians and Ukrainians – are suffering as a result of this conflict, which your government could bring to an end and yet you persist with it?”
He said the UK and its allies could end the war if they stopped aiding Ukraine, adding: “Stop the armament supplies, do it!”
As Kelin insisted that the war was not putting a strain on Russia, Kuenssberg then changed tactic, and asked: “Does the suffering in this war ever keep you awake at night?”
He said: “No one likes the war, and we stand for the quickest diplomatic and political settlement.”
When she asked her question again, he said: “Yes, well, sometimes I feel like and I anticipate the end of it, the quickest end of it. And I hope it will end sometime.”
Kelin also used the interview to claim the UK is waging a proxy war against Russia by supporting Ukraine, even though Putin ordered the invasion of the neighbouring European country back in 2022.
“You think we’re at war with your country?” Kuenssberg pushed.
He replied: “I think you are aggressive, that you are waging a proxy war against Russia.”
He also claimed Zelenskyy is “desperate” and “losing the conflict”.
“The end of this phase will mean the end of Ukraine,” he said, adding: “Defeat, over the course, is in view.”
As expected, Kelin’s comments were quite at odds with the most recent message coming from the UK government about the war.
On Friday, PM Keir Starmer told journalists that while the war in Ukraine “is incredibly tough, it is also true that Russia is getting weaker”.
He claimed: “This war is soaking up 40% of their budget ... Last month, Russia suffered the highest daily casualty rate so far.”
Speaking at the British Embassy, Starmer said: “We’re absolutely united in our resolve, and we’ll back Ukraine for as long as it takes.”