Former Russian President Medvedev Says Russia Can't Stop War Even If Ukraine Drops Its Demand To Join NATO

Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of Russia's Security Council, delivers a speech in Saint Petersburg 

Reuters: Russia can't stop war, even if Ukraine drops NATO hopes -Putin ally 

(Reuters) - A top ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that Moscow would not stop its military campaign in Ukraine even if Kyiv formally renounced its aspirations to join NATO. 

Former President Dmitry Medvedev, now deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, also said in a French television interview that Russia was prepared to hold talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy subject to certain conditions. 

Even before the February invasion, Moscow made clear Ukrainian membership of NATO was unacceptable to it. 

"Renouncing its participation in the North Atlantic alliance is now vital, but it is already insufficient in order to establish peace," Medvedev told LCI television in quotes reported by Russian news agencies.  

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WNU Editor: Former Russian President Medvedev has definitely become one of the harshest hawks in the Kremlin .... ‘I hate them’: Dmitry Medvedev’s journey from liberal to anti-western hawk (The Guardian). 

But he is right that the "goalposts" to end the war have moved since March. The goal of the Kremlin right now is for regime change in Kyiv, and to assert control over the Russian-Ukrainian dominated parts of Ukraine. 

In the eyes of people like Medvedev the Ukraine government lost its legitimacy when they moved to ban the Russian language and culture two months ago .... Ukraine Parliament Moves To Ban Russian Books And Music (June 20, 2022).