Russia says that peace initiatives in resolving the Ukrainian conflict contain feasible ideas. The Ukrainian Defense Minister stated that Ukraine, along with the Czech Republic and Slovakia, signed a joint declaration on the purchase of infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs).
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| Russia-Ukraine situation: Moscow emphasizes peace initiatives but says it still needs more tanks; Kyiv takes 'important steps' in arms procurement. (Source: AFP) |
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that the peace initiatives proposed by various countries to resolve the Ukraine conflict contain feasible ideas.
Spokesperson Zakharova stated: “There are interesting ideas that are feasible. There are ideas that are similar to our approach, including the Chinese initiative.”
Zakharova emphasized that the main problem is that initiatives are being blocked by "the Kiev regime which is barring itself" from engaging in any negotiations with Moscow.
Furthermore, she argued that Washington pursues the concept of complete world domination and strategic defeat of Russia while viewing Ukraine merely as a tool for exerting influence over Russia and the region in general.
Meanwhile, on the same day, June 17, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu called for the production of more tanks "to meet the needs of Russian forces" in Ukraine after Kyiv launched a counteroffensive using Western weapons.
During a visit to a military factory in Western Siberia, Minister Shoigu emphasized the need to "maintain increased tank production" and more advanced security features in armored vehicles.
Shoigu said this was necessary "to meet the needs of Russian forces carrying out the special military operation" launched by Moscow in Ukraine since February 2022.
Earlier, Russia declared that Ukraine's counteroffensive had failed, but Kyiv said it had recaptured some areas and about 100 square kilometers of territory, mainly on the southern front.
Also on June 17, Bryansk Oblast Governor Alexander Bogomaz announced that Russian air defense units had thwarted an earlier Ukrainian attack on a pumping station of the Druzhba oil pipeline in the Novozybkov district of Bryansk Oblast, Russia, bordering Ukraine.
On Telegram, Bogomaz wrote clearly that three Ukrainian military drones were destroyed in the attack in Novozybkov.
On the Ukrainian side, on June 17, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov announced that Ukraine, along with the Czech Republic and Slovakia, had signed a joint declaration on their intention to purchase and maintain infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs).
On his social media account, Reznikov wrote: "On the sidelines of the meeting of the Ukrainian Defense Contact Group (UDCG) with my Slovak counterparts Martin Sklenar and Czech counterpart Jana Cernochova, we signed a joint statement."
According to the Ukrainian Defense Minister, details of the agreement will be released later, and he described it as an "important step" in cooperation between the three countries.
In late May, the Czech government announced it had approved the purchase of 246 Swedish-made CV-90 tracked infantry fighting vehicles for 59.7 billion CZK (2.72 billion USD).
On June 2nd, Czech Defense Minister Cernochova announced that her country and Slovakia plan to cooperate in the field of ammunition production.
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