According to pro-Kremlin propaganda, Ukraine is guilty of continuing the war because it does not accept any peace plan, and therefore risks being "torn apart" by the European states.
Propaganda: Zelensky rejects proposal for peace with Russia and risks losing international support
NEWS: By rejecting the proposal for a peaceful settlement of the conflict, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will lose all international support, writes war correspondent Andrey Rudenko on his Telegram channel. According to him, after the rejection of the clear offer to settle the conflict, Zelensky will be left without support. The only partners of the Ukrainian president will remain the "European jackals", who dream of "tearing" the body of Ukraine into pieces.
Rudenko stressed that none of the European countries would fight for Zelensky. On April 22, former deputy of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Oleg Tsaryov said that US President Donald Trump would force Zelensky to give in or stop supporting Ukraine.
NARRATIVES: 1. Ukraine will be left without allies because it refuses the peace proposal with Russia. 2. Kyiv's European partners want Ukrainian territories.
PURPOSE: To demoralize the Ukrainian population and its allies; to deepen the war fatigue in Ukraine; to prepare the public opinion for continued military actions.
Reality: Ukraine wants peace, but cannot accept capitulation to the aggressor
WHY THE NARRATIVES ARE FALSE: Pro-Kremlin propaganda is trying to credibly present the idea that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky unilaterally rejected a supposed “peace offer” and is solely to blame for the continuation of the war. Ukraine has been consistent in its willingness to participate in negotiations based on the principles of international law, including respect for its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Ukraine had accepted an unconditional 30-day ceasefire proposed by the US. The idea, however, was rejected by Russia. The ceasefire would give Ukraine a “respite” said Yuri Ushakov, Vladimir Putin’s foreign policy adviser. Russia’s so-called “peace proposals” are unacceptable conditions for any sovereign state: the cession of illegally occupied territories and the abandonment of Euro-Atlantic aspirations, which contradict international law and the will of the Ukrainian people.
According to the Center for Strategic Communications report of April 2025, these “conditions” are propaganda tools designed to create the illusion that Russia wants peace , when in reality it insists on a disguised capitulation. Russia can always stop the large-scale invasion of Ukraine, and peace directly depends on Moscow’s unilateral decision to withdraw its troops. Refusal of such a dictate is not a belligerent attitude, but a legitimate manifestation of self-determination and defense of national interest.
There is also a peace agreement version agreed by the United States, which has not been made public, but according to multiple sources it would largely reflect Russia's position - de jure recognition of the annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, which Russia invaded in 2014, the year it illegally annexed it, the cession of territories occupied by the Russians during the full-scale invasion started in 2022, guarantees offered to Moscow that Ukraine would never be accepted into NATO, the lifting of sanctions imposed on Russia as a result of the unjustified invasion of a neighboring sovereign state. Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky has said that it is impossible to recognize the annexation of Crimea, since the territorial integrity of Ukraine is provided for in the Constitution of the country. In addition, numerous analysts, journalists, and politicians have warned that a change in international borders imposed by armed force would create a dangerous precedent throughout the world, including in Europe, where it would open the way for territorial claims.
The narrative of the loss of international support is contradicted by concrete facts. In the last two months (March-April 2025), the EU has approved a new package of military and financial assistance to Ukraine worth 8 billion Euro . The joint statement of the G7 leaders of 12 April 2025 reaffirms unwavering support for Ukraine “for as long as is necessary” and condemns Russia’s aggression. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also stated on 19 April 2025 that “only the people of Ukraine can speak about their territories.”
At the level of international institutions (the UN, the Council of Europe, the OSCE) political, financial and humanitarian support for Ukraine continues, despite Russia's constant attempts to undermine the unity of the Western states.
Characterizing European allies as “jackals” who want to dismember Ukraine is an attempt to sow distrust between Ukraine and its European partners. This narrative contradicts all the concrete actions undertaken by the European states, which have invested significant resources to support the territorial integrity and European future of Ukraine. The EU states do not want to occupy Ukrainian territories because such an action contradicts the fundamental principles of international law and European values. Annexing the territories of another sovereign state would be a serious violation of the UN Charter and would undermine the very European security architecture built after World War II. In fact, the EU support for Ukraine includes not only military assistance, but also reconstruction programs, humanitarian aid and support for institutional reforms with a view to EU accession.
CONTEXT: The false narratives promoted by the Russian media are built by citing a war correspondent, a Russian government employee, and a former Ukrainian MP. Former MP Oleg Tsarev is known for his pro-Russian positions and was convicted in absentia in Ukraine for high treason. He fled to Russia in 2014, where he continued to serve the Kremlin’s propaganda interests.
The “news” is part of a broader effort to demoralize the Ukrainian population and deepen war fatigue. In essence, Russian propaganda is trying to impose an inverted logic: resistance to aggression is presented as a threat to peace, and acceptance of Russian imperial dictates is presented as a reasonable solution. This reversal of roles and values is dangerous and must be exposed, as it justifies the violation of state sovereignty and undermines the rules-based international order.
