MOSCOW and LONDON — Russian Deputy International Minister Sergey Ryabkov advised ABC Information throughout an unique interview on Monday that he believes the fighters are “on the verge” of a diplomatic resolution to finish Moscow’s warfare.
“We’re ready to have a deal,” Ryabkov stated of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s authorities. The deputy international minister added that he hoped an settlement could be reached “sooner fairly than later.”
U.S. administration officers signaled on Monday {that a} peace deal between Russia and Ukraine could also be nearer than ever, telling reporters on the situation of anonymity that “actually 90%” of the problems between the 2 warring nations had been solved.
Russian Deputy International Minister Sergey Ryabkov speaks with ABC Information in Moscow Chief International Correspondent Ian Pannell in Moscow, Russia, Dec. 15, 2025.
ABC Information
However Ryabkov additionally reiterated long-held calls for from Moscow that Kyiv says it can’t settle for as a part of any peace deal. Amongst these is Russian management of Crimea, which was occupied in 2014, and 4 different partially-occupied territories — Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson — within the south and east of Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly dominated out territorial concessions to Russia.
“We’ve got 5 altogether and we aren’t in a position, in any kind, to compromise on this,” Ryabkov stated of Russia’s management of the territories.
Ryabkov spoke to ABC Information as each Moscow and Kyiv work with American representatives on the White Home’s newest peace push, meant to safe an finish to Russia’s full-scale invasion of its neighbor which started in February 2022.
One other sticking level for Moscow has been the attainable deployment of troops from NATO nations to Ukraine after the warfare.
He stated Russia wouldn’t conform to a deal that included their presence on Ukrainian soil, even when they have been there as a part of a safety assure or as members of the so-called “Coalition of the Keen,” as a bunch of largely European leaders check with themselves.
“We undoubtedly won’t at any second subscribe to, conform to, and even be content material with, any presence of NATO troops on the Ukrainian territory,” Ryabkov stated.
Ryabkov — a high-profile determine inside Russia’s International Ministry who often speaks with worldwide media retailers — has served because the deputy international minister in Moscow since 2008, working underneath International Minister Sergey Lavrov, who has been in his put up since 2004.
Ryabkov was amongst these Russian officers downplaying the risk looming over Ukraine within the lead as much as Moscow’s full-scale invasion of its neighbor. As Russian troops massed alongside Ukraine’s borders in January 2022, Ryabkov stated Moscow had “no intention of attacking, staging an offensive on or invading Ukraine.”
Russian Deputy International Minister Sergey Ryabkov speaks with ABC Information in Moscow Chief International Correspondent Ian Pannell in Moscow, Russia, Dec. 15, 2025.
ABC Information
Talking with ABC Information on Monday, the deputy international minister refused to check with Russia’s ongoing invasion as a warfare, as a substitute utilizing the Kremlin’s most popular phrase of a “particular army operation.”
“We do what we do, we need to cease it and whether or not it will be stopped relies upon a lot on how individuals who help authorities in Kyiv acknowledge the inevitable consequence of our success,” Ryabkov stated.
Russian officers have framed their invasion as a crucial measure to guard ethnic Russians residing in Ukraine. When requested in regards to the struggling and deaths of members of that group because of Moscow’s warfare, Ryabkov stated he had sympathy for these affected.
Russian Deputy International Minister Sergey Ryabkov speaks with ABC Information in Moscow Chief International Correspondent Ian Pannell in Moscow, Russia, Dec. 15, 2025.
ABC Information
“The entire function of what’s being accomplished by us there’s to make sure that at the least a few of these folks, majority of these folks, discover it higher and discover it, I might say, extra applicable to be the place they belong, which is Russia.”
Ryabkov has often commented on varied facets of U.S.-Russian relations throughout the ongoing warfare. He has, for instance, repeatedly referred to as for renewed give attention to bilateral nuclear and arms management treaties.
Nevertheless, Ryabkov stated this month that progress on that and subjects “will solely turn into attainable for us after we turn into satisfied of substantive and irreversible enhancements in Washington’s coverage towards Russia.”
Ryabkov final month advised the state-owned Worldwide Affairs journal {that a} new assembly between Trump and Putin was attainable as Ukraine peace talks continued. “I would not rule something out,” he stated.
ABC Information’ Mariam Khan and Hannah Demissie contributed to this report.
