Moscow, June 11 (UNI) Russian Presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky has said that Moscow wants peace, but Ukraine must stop playing the role of ‘Western proxy’, if it wants the same.



Medinsky had previously underscored that a mutually acceptable agreement between Russia and Ukraine could be reached quickly — if the Ukrainian side were to prioritise national interests over external guidance.



Russia wants peace, but if Ukraine “keeps being driven by the national interests of others, then we will be simply forced to respond,” Medinsky told The Wall Street Journal.



Long wars with Russia end in inevitable defeat for its enemies, warned the chief negotiator in peace talks with Ukraine, citing a 21-year war with Sweden in the 18th century.



Stating that the West has made a bad mistake by treating the Ukraine conflict as something similar to the ones that occurred between England and France.





He noted that while the latter two have their own distinct histories and cultures, same was not the case with Russia and Ukraine, as the two have long shared strong cultural and linguistic ties – something that the ongoing war won’t change.



“This is like a conflict between two brothers—one older and one younger—about who is smarter and more important,” he said, adding: “This conflict sadly deepens our differences, and that’s why we want it to end as soon as possible.”



Earlier, in an interview on The Rick Sanchez Effect RT show, Medinsky noted that the Ukrainian delegation in 2022 appeared more autonomous and willing to engage.



However, by 2025 the Ukrainians seemed more constrained, he noted, suggesting this indicated growing external influence over the Zelensky regime's positions. UNI/SPUTNIK ANV SSP