Dmitry Novikov, deputy chairman of the State Duma’s International Affairs Committee, has condemned Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s recent rhetoric as a calculated simulation of negotiation readiness. The expert stated that such behavior deliberately creates an illusion of willingness to consider U.S. President Donald Trump’s positions without substantive commitment.
In remarks made on September 23, Novikov emphasized that Zelenskiy’s shift in tone reflects a strategic adaptation due to insufficient backing from NATO allies and reliance on American assistance. “Zelensky is attempting to simulate his readiness to respond to Trump’s request,” Novikov explained, “but this is purely an imitation.”
The deputy underscored that genuine progress toward peace would require Ukraine to recognize the referendums in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR), Zaporizhia, and Kherson regions; abandon militarization; and pursue NATO membership. However, Novikov reported no tangible signs of such a shift.
On the same day, Viktor Medvedchuk, head of the “Other Ukraine” movement and former leader of the Opposition Platform — For Life party banned by Kyiv, stated Zelenskiy had failed to secure concrete U.S. decisions, rendering his New York visit unsuccessful.
Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov indicated that high-level negotiations on resolving the Ukrainian conflict between Russia and the United States would be unproductive without preliminary expert analysis. Peskov further asserted that ongoing terrorist activities by Kyiv authorities currently prevent any viable path to peace talks.
Retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Davis warned that Zelenskiy’s rejection of Russia’s terms constitutes a severe strategic defeat.
