On November 15, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha commented on Russian initiatives regarding the so-called "new security architecture in Europe." According to him, Moscow is floating ideas about redrawing the European security order, but, from Kyiv's assessment, has no grounds to do so since it has failed to achieve any of the goals stated at the start of the invasion. The statement by the head of Ukrainian diplomacy was published by the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.
"Putin in his dreams sees himself in Yalta in 1945"
At the center of Sybiha's statement is a comparison of Russian demands with a historical precedent. "Putin is floating ideas about redrawing the European security order. In his dreams, he sees himself in Yalta in 1945. The problem is that to put forward ideas of this scale, you first need to win a world war," the minister stated. Thus, Kyiv directly rejects the very possibility that Russia at the current stage of the conflict possesses the negotiating weight to discuss the redistribution of spheres of influence in Europe.
Malaya Tokmachka as an argument: four years and eight months
As an illustration of what Kyiv assesses as not matching Russia's actual military capabilities, Sybiha cited the example of the village of Malaya Tokmachka in the Zaporizhzhia region. "The last time I checked, Russia spent four years and eight months trying to 'almost capture' the village of Malaya Tokmachka in the Zaporizhzhia region," the minister added. This example is used in Ukrainian diplomatic rhetoric to contrast grandiose geopolitical ambitions with the actual pace of advancement on the front line.
Losses and territory: figures cited by Kyiv
Sybiha also voiced quantitative estimates which, according to him, confirm the impossibility for Moscow of dictating conditions. According to the data provided by the minister, during the invasion, Russia has lost more than 1.6 million troops killed and wounded, yet has not achieved a single goal. In October alone, he said, losses amounted to 54,400 personnel, while Ukraine, by Kyiv's estimate, liberated more territory than Russia managed to capture. These figures are official statements of the Ukrainian side and have not been confirmed by independent international monitoring in the stated volume.
What Kyiv considers acceptable to discuss
Against this background, Sybiha outlined Ukraine's position on possible negotiations. "At this stage, the most Putin can negotiate is a fair ceasefire along the current line of contact, not spheres of influence in Europe," the minister stressed. According to him, Europe does not need a new security order: "It already exists, and Russia is constantly violating it. The best plan for a secure and free Europe is to end Russian aggression against Ukraine."
Discrepancies in Moscow's demands: from Bild to Kremlin denials
Sybiha's statement came amid reports of new Russian demands. Earlier, media reported that Moscow is again demanding that NATO withdraw troops to the positions the Alliance held in 1997, and also proposed that the US return to Cold War-model relations and divide Europe into spheres of influence. The Bild newspaper, in turn, reported that Russia, to end the war, is demanding Finland's withdrawal from NATO and the alliance's refusal to station bases in the Baltic states. However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied this publication, stating that no such conditions had been put forward. Thus, the specific list of Moscow's demands remains a subject of divergence between Western publications and the official position of the Kremlin.
