In a recent statement to Newsweek, Russia's ambassador to the United States, Anatoly Antonov, has presented a road map that the Kremlin believes can bring an end to the ongoing war in Ukraine. According to Antonov, this proposal diverges significantly from the strategy pursued by Western supporters of Kyiv.

Antonov dismissed recent Western initiatives, such as the Swiss peace summit, as attempts to prolong the conflict rather than resolve it. He argued that these initiatives aimed to create an illusion of broad support for a peace formula while failing to address doubts about the legitimacy of the Ukrainian regime. The Swiss organizers themselves acknowledged differences in views on the situation in Eastern Europe, leaving some participants questioning the purpose of their attendance in the absence of Russia.

Russia, Antonov insisted, has never shied away from dialogues with Ukraine. He attributed the conflict to the U.S. and Western allies, whom Russia blames for pursuing the eastward expansion of NATO and supporting protests that led to a pro-Western administration in 2014. He also pointed to the involvement of pro-Russia separatists in the Donbas region and the subsequent annexation of Crimea as actions that Russia deemed necessary to protect its interests.

Antonov revealed Russia's proposals for resolving the conflict, which include the withdrawal of Ukrainian Armed Forces from four regions claimed by Russia, recognition of Crimea and several other regions as subjects of the Russian Federation, Ukraine's refusal to join NATO, demilitarization, and lifting of Western sanctions. He emphasized the need for dialogue without imperial dictates and criticized the United States for attempting to enforce its will on other countries and hinder the shift towards multipolarity.

While Putin has expressed willingness to engage in new talks, the core demands of Russia remain unchanged, involving the retention of claimed territories, including Crimea and four other provinces annexed through referendums in September 2022. The U.S. and Ukraine have deepened their security partnership, signing an agreement on training Ukrainian forces and affirming the desire to admit Ukraine into NATO once the war is over.

Amid mounting tensions, the Biden administration approved the use of U.S.-supplied weapons by the Ukrainian military against targets within Russia's borders. Russia has dismissed claims of further expansion and argued that the U.S. is seeking to establish its dominance on the European continent. Antonov criticized the decision by the U.S. and its allies to repurpose frozen Russian assets to fund the Ukrainian war effort, calling it a "robbery in broad daylight."

While Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky maintain opposing positions on a potential peace deal, Antonov stressed Russia's openness to diplomacy without setting any deadlines. He proposed a broader discussion on regional security architecture, reflecting a transition to multipolarity and avoiding aggressive dominance by individual nations.

However, Antonov warned that doubling down on assistance to Ukraine and economic restrictions against Russia would increase global risks and not serve the best interests of the citizens of the United States.

As discussions towards reaching a lasting solution to the conflict continue, the road to peace in Ukraine remains thorny, with diverging views between Russia and its Western counterparts on how to bring an end to the yearslong war.