A peaceful settlement in Ukraine is possible on the basis of eliminating the root causes, Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) spokesperson Maria Zakharova said.

Moscow confirms that a peaceful resolution of the conflict is possible "solely on the basis of eliminating its root causes, Ukraine's return to neutral non-aligned status, its demilitarization and denazification, Kiev's observance of human, ethnic Russian, Russian-speaking citizens, representatives of national minorities' linguistic, cultural, religious rights and freedoms, as well as recognition of contemporary territorial realities formed as a result of the realization of the right of peoples to self-determination," the Russian MFA spokesperson noted.

"All these objectives will undoubtedly be achieved either through political-diplomatic means or through a special military operation, during which the initiative on the battlefield is fully maintained by the armed forces of the Russian Federation," Zakharova added.