ISTANBUL

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman on Wednesday denounced Russia’s new ceasefire precondition that Ukraine must dismantle and destroy all Western-supplied weapons, calling it “absurd” and a display of “total inadequacy.”

“Russian officials make new absurd demands almost every day. Total inadequacy. Moscow shows complete disregard for the United States’ efforts to end the war,” Heorhii Tykhyi said in a statement on X.

His reaction followed remarks by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko, who told the state-run daily Izvestia on June 16 that Moscow would insist on eliminating all Western military aid in Ukraine as a prerequisite for any ceasefire deal.

“All these surpluses must be destroyed. All international algorithms are known. They must be reduced, disposed of, and guaranteed,” Grushko was quoted as saying, without providing details.

The comments came amid renewed tensions over how and under what terms peace efforts between Kyiv and Moscow could resume.

Russia and Ukraine held two rounds of direct peace talks in Istanbul on May 16 and June  2, mediated by Türkiye.

The May meeting produced a historic exchange of around 1,000 prisoners of war from each side but collapsed over both sides' disagreements to demands for major territorial concessions, ceasefire proposals, and army limitations.

Moscow’s memorandum, according to Russian media, contains points including calling for the international recognition of Ukrainian regions it took under control, banning arms supplies to Ukraine, ending mobilization, elections, a neutral, non-allied status, and ensuring the full rights, freedoms, and interests of Russian-speaking people.