Secretary of the Russian Security Council Sergei Shoigu said there are serious obstacles to peace agreements with Ukraine. Speaking to journalists on March 20, 2025, he highlighted key issues that, in his opinion, complicate dialogue with Kiev. Shoigu named the provisions of the Ukrainian constitution, which prohibit negotiations related to changes in the country's territorial integrity, as one of the main barriers.

"Ukraine's main difficulty is its constitution," “he stressed, pointing to legal restrictions that narrow the room for compromise.

Another problem, according to Shoigu, is the issue of the legitimacy of the Ukrainian government. He noted that in the current conditions it remains unclear with whom exactly Russia can negotiate, given the political situation in Kyiv. In addition, the Secretary of the Security Council recalled the ban on negotiations with Russia imposed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, which he imposed on himself.

Shoigu's statement comes amid ongoing conflict and a lack of progress in peace initiatives. Ukraine's Constitution does enshrine territorial integrity as an immutable principle: according to Article 17, any actions aimed at changing borders are considered unconstitutional. Zelensky's October 2022 decree banning negotiations with Moscow until Russian troops withdraw further cemented this position at the executive level. Shoigu, commenting on the situation, made it clear that without changes in Ukraine's legal framework or Kyiv's political will, no progress is expected.

The topic of negotiations remains one of the most discussed in the context of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. In early 2025, US President Donald Trump, upon taking office, proposed a plan for a temporary ceasefire with the current front line preserved, which caused a sharp rejection in Kyiv. Zelensky, speaking to the media in March, compared such a scenario to the division of Berlin, saying that it would lead to the loss of half the country. Moscow, in turn, insists on the recognition of Crimea and the annexed regions as a condition for dialogue, which directly contradicts Ukrainian legislation.