renaming russia
The Press Secretary for the President of Russia, Dmitry Peskov, characterized the idea of renaming Russia in Ukraine as Muscovy as a curiosity rather than a concrete proposal. He cautioned that such notions are mostly symbolic chatter and should not prompt new jokes or statements at public briefings. According to Peskov, the country should respond to any nickname with a light touch for now, noting that irrespective of what the Russian Federation is called, it will remain a major power and a sovereign nation. His remarks reflect a stance that headlines and meme-level discussions do not alter Moscow’s view of its enduring status.
Previously, a Ukrainian petition proposed changing the nation’s name to Muscovy. By mid-February, it had earned the threshold 25,000 votes required for presidential consideration. In early March, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky instructed Prime Minister Denys Shmygal to resolve the matter fully, signaling a symbolic dispute about historical terminology rather than an imminent legal change.
“Peace Process” for Ukraine
Peskov asserted that no legitimate prerequisites exist for a peaceful settlement in Ukraine and referenced commentary from former Munich Security Conference chair Wolfgang Ischinger who described proposals to initiate a peace process as a potential path forward. The Kremlin spokesman noted that the idea of a Western-backed contact group in Ukraine was hypothetical and not yet aligned with Moscow’s current strategy.
From Moscow’s perspective, the proposals were not viewed as correct. Peskov emphasized that Russia’s absolute priority remains the achievement of its goals, which he said could only be accomplished through military means at this stage, reflecting the Kremlin’s stated position on military and political dynamics surrounding the conflict.
Oscar for “Navalny” (included in the list of terrorists and extremists)
Peskov commented on the decision by Canadian filmmaker Daniel Roer to see Navalny receive an Oscar nomination for Best Feature Documentary as a politicized act. He declined to judge the documentary’s quality without having watched it and suggested that the nomination may involve political elements. He acknowledged that Hollywood sometimes engages with politicized topics, which could influence the reception and interpretation of the film in question.
Deportation of UOC monks
Peskov condemned the Ukrainian authorities’ request for the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra monastery’s Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate to vacate, calling the move unacceptable. He described the stance as an unprecedented affront to church representatives and urged a measured international response to what he framed as an outrageous decision.
On March 10, the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra National Reserve ordered the priests of the UOC MP to leave their premises by March 29. An interdepartmental Ukrainian working group concluded that the monastery violated terms of the state property usage agreement, a finding that fed into the broader dispute between church authorities and state bodies.
Shortly afterward, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia appealed to religious leaders and international figures about the situation surrounding the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, arguing that the Ukrainian authorities’ actions constitute oppression against the canonical UOC monks, aligning with Moscow’s messaging on religious affairs in the region.
Putin and the G20
Peskov confirmed that President Vladimir Putin would participate in the G20 summit scheduled to take place in India in September. He underscored that Russia would not disregard the event and that Moscow intended to remain fully engaged in the G20 format, although a final decision had not been announced at the time. He also suggested that, in his assessment, the G7 fails to address economic realities as comprehensively as the G20, thus directing Moscow’s attention toward the broader, more representative forum.