MOSCOW

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday that Moscow focused on peace initiatives focused on eliminating the root causes of the Ukrainian conflict.

Responding to an Anadolu question at a press briefing in Moscow about the possibility of a ceasefire amid Christmas and New Year holidays, Zakharova said Russia's peacekeeping efforts and initiatives "are well known."

"We have long stated, with facts in hand, that in order to establish peace, it is precisely the root causes of the Ukrainian conflict that must be eliminated, and 'support for the criminal, corrupt terrorist Kyiv regime' must cease. The sooner this is understood, the sooner a settlement will be reached," she said.

The spokeswoman stressed that if this happens "before the New Year, on the New Year, or on Christmas, it can only be welcomed."

"But all the talk about some kind of, you know, elements of a ceasefire, which are obviously not of the nature of a long-term settlement but, on the contrary, camouflage a desire to continue violence and cover up terrorist acts, is of no use to anyone," she said.

Zakharova alleged that "those who pay out money for the conflict" and receive profit from it might want a short ceasefire.

"But not those who are genuinely oriented toward peace. And we certainly count ourselves in that category. We don't need such 'pacifiers,'" she said.

Zakharova then said Chisinau is “violating” the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations by delaying the meeting between the Russian ambassador and the Moldovan president.

The spokeswoman explained that Oleg Ozerov, the Russian ambassador to Moldova, arrived in the country in October last year, handed over credentials to the Moldovan Foreign Ministry, and received the accreditation card.

She pointed out that, in accordance with the Vienna Convention, Ozerov must be invited to a meeting with Moldovan President Maia Sandu to present the original credentials.

At the same time, ambassadors from other countries who arrived in Moldova after Ozerov did submit their original letters of credence. Chisinau has grossly violated the Vienna Convention, which establishes a strict order for presenting credentials based on the date and even the hour of arrival of the ambassadors, she stressed.

Zakharova went on to say that, despite the discriminatory attitude, Ozerov continues to diligently perform his duties, accurately and diplomatically conveying Russia's position.

According to her, Moldova's government is using Russia to distract from its own failures, such as the failure to successfully transition its economy from Russia and the former Soviet Union to the EU.

She claimed that the experience shows Moldovan exports are not "eagerly awaited" in Europe, blaming "different configurations within the EU," rather than product quality.

Zakharova also cited key economic data to highlight Moldova's challenges: a 5.7% overall export decline, including a 4% drop to the EU; a 42% drop in foreign direct investment since 2022; a $6 billion trade deficit; public debt at 38% of GDP, with 80% of new borrowing servicing old debts; and a poll showing 83% of young Moldovans want to emigrate.

She argued that Moldova's government should focus on resolving these issues rather than using Russia as a distraction.