Egypt Daily News – Moscow has strongly rebuked NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte over his recent remarks about the stalled peace negotiations with Ukraine, calling his comments “nonsense” and “a reflection of NATO’s ignorance.”
The sharp response came from Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova, who criticized Rutte for suggesting that Russia did not send serious representatives to negotiations with Ukraine, claiming instead that Moscow had sent “a historian.”
In a statement published on her official Telegram channel, Zakharova defended the head of the Russian delegation, Vladimir Medinsky, describing him as a seasoned international relations expert, academic, and statesman. “Two clarifications for this nonsense,” Zakharova wrote. “First, this ‘historian’ is Vladimir Medinsky, a specialist in international affairs, a scholar, and a public servant.
Second, no problem can be resolved without understanding its historical roots. Ignorance of history among NATO leaders has already led to countless casualties around the world.”
She also took aim at the Ukrainian side, mocking what NATO referred to as a “serious delegation.” Zakharova noted that the head of the Ukrainian team, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, has no military background and previously worked in the telecommunications industry.
Earlier, Rutte had criticized Russia’s approach to negotiations, saying the Kremlin had not engaged seriously in talks and had instead “sent some historians.” His remarks referenced past rounds of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, particularly those held in Istanbul, which included discussions on prisoner exchanges and humanitarian issues.
While those talks yielded limited results including an exchange of prisoners and the return of fallen soldiers’ remains to Ukraine, no comprehensive agreement on conflict resolution was achieved. The two sides did exchange draft memoranda of understanding, but negotiations ultimately stalled amid continued military hostilities.
Moscow’s harsh reaction to Rutte’s comments underscores the widening diplomatic rift between Russia and NATO, as both sides accuse each other of undermining peace efforts in Ukraine. Russia maintains that it has made genuine attempts at dialogue and insists that understanding historical context is essential to resolving the conflict.
NATO, by contrast, continues to express skepticism about Moscow’s intentions, pointing to ongoing military operations and what it views as bad-faith participation in negotiations.
As the war in Ukraine continues with no clear diplomatic breakthrough in sight, rhetoric on both sides appears to be hardening, dimming prospects for renewed peace talks in the near future.
