Russia will not agree to a “freeze” in its war against Ukraine unless what Moscow calls the conflict’s “root causes” are addressed, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin said. “As Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly said, no ‘freeze’ is possible without eliminating the root causes of this crisis,” Galuzin told the state-run TASS news agency. The comments suggest Moscow remains unwilling to support a simple halt in fighting without securing its broader political and territorial demands. He also criticized continued US military and intelligence support for Ukraine, calling Washington’s approach “contradictory.” AdvertisementBut other recent statements from senior Russian officials have underscored how far Moscow remains from accepting a straightforward ceasefire.