Russia Blames Kyiv and Europe for Delay in Peace Talks
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that the pause in the Ukrainian peace process stems from Kyiv’s reluctance to choose a political and diplomatic approach. During a press briefing in Moscow, he accused European nations of encouraging Ukraine to continue military actions.
"The main thing that is currently slowing down the settlement process is the pause that has arisen due to the unwillingness of the Ukrainian side to follow the path of a political and diplomatic settlement, and due to the provocation of the Kyiv regime by the Europeans to continue further hostilities," he said.
Commenting on remarks by US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff about the lack of trust between Russia and Ukraine, Peskov acknowledged this assessment.
"Of course, we cannot talk about any kind of mutual trust now. This is not a deficit of trust, but its absence," he said.
Peskov declined to discuss statements by US President Donald Trump, who said on Thursday that his administration had already resolved eight armed conflicts since the beginning of the year and aimed to include the Ukrainian crisis among these successes, citing “great progress” by Washington.
Speaking about a potential meeting between President Vladimir Putin and President Trump, Peskov noted that such a discussion would be beneficial to both sides at the right moment but should be preceded by detailed preparatory work.
Author’s Summary
Moscow blames Kyiv’s resistance and European pressure for the stalled peace process, while acknowledging a complete lack of trust between Russia and Ukraine.