ISLAMABAD, Tuesday, September 23, 2025 : Russian Ambassador to Pakistan Albert P. Khorev on Tuesday briefed media representatives on Moscow’s perspective regarding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, reiterating Russia’s concerns over what he described as Kiev’s unwillingness to pursue meaningful peace talks and the West’s continued military and financial backing of Ukraine.
Khorev said three rounds of Russia–Ukraine talks had produced “positive results” on prisoner exchanges but claimed Kiev had avoided addressing technical details and verification mechanisms for a ceasefire. “Ukraine and its sponsors need the truce only to regroup and rearm their army,” he alleged, citing European military and financial support that he said had reached $70.2 billion since the beginning of the conflict.
The envoy accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky—whose mandate, he noted, expired in May 2024—of using peace summits as a political tool to “legitimize himself.” Russia, he said, preferred “professional discussions about lasting peace” rather than “comedic performances.” He maintained that sustainable peace required addressing what Moscow sees as the root causes of the conflict: NATO’s expansion, Kiev’s alleged discrimination against Russian-speaking citizens, and restrictions on the Orthodox Church.
Khorev further accused Ukraine of carrying out “terrorist acts” in response to battlefield setbacks, insisting such actions did not affect the combat capability of Russian forces, which he claimed continued to advance in Donbass. He characterized Ukraine’s political system as increasingly authoritarian, marked by censorship, suppression of dissent, and efforts to dismantle Soviet-era memorials while “falsifying” World War II history.
The ambassador also criticized what he described as double standards within the United Nations, alleging that Secretary-General António Guterres had aligned with Western positions on Ukraine while remaining silent on other global crises.
Citing international backing for a Russian-sponsored resolution against the glorification of Nazism, which he said 119 countries supported in 2024—including Pakistan—Khorev expressed appreciation for Islamabad’s “consistent policy of neutrality” on the Ukraine conflict despite outside pressure.
He added that Russia remained committed to a diplomatic resolution, pointing to discussions in Alaska between Russian and U.S. leaders as evidence of Moscow’s willingness to compromise, while accusing Kiev and European states of “sabotaging” potential peace efforts.
