Moscow Insists on Using Force in Ukraine: We Do Not Recognize the Jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated on Tuesday that Kyiv's stance implies that Russia's objectives in Ukraine can only be achieved through military force, according to Russian state news agencies. Peskov added, "We must achieve our goals. This can only be done by military means at the moment due to the current position of the Kyiv regime." Russia claims it is fighting to "liberate" Russian speakers in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, from what it describes as a new Nazi regime in Kyiv. In contrast, Ukraine and the West view this as a baseless pretext aimed at justifying Moscow's aggressive war and its attempts to seize large areas of Ukrainian territory. Moscow has blamed Kyiv for the collapse of ceasefire talks, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that he would not consider any peaceful settlement of the conflict until Russian troops leave his country's territory. Additionally, Peskov emphasized, when asked about reports that the International Criminal Court is expected to soon seek arrest warrants for Russian individuals concerning the conflict in Ukraine, that his country does not recognize the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court.