Russia Blames Kyiv and Europe for Stalled Ukrainian Peace Process
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated on Friday that the pause in resolving the Ukrainian conflict stems from Kyiv's refusal to follow a political and diplomatic approach. Speaking at a Moscow press briefing, he accused the European Union of encouraging Ukraine to continue fighting.
"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."
Regarding US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff's comments about the lack of trust between Russia and Ukraine, Peskov agreed, saying:
"Of course, we cannot talk about any kind of mutual trust now. This is not a deficit of trust, but its absence."
Peskov refrained from commenting on US President Donald Trump's statement made on Thursday, where Trump claimed to have resolved eight armed conflicts this year and expressed his wish to add the Ukrainian issue to his "successes," asserting that Washington has made "great progress" on it.
On the possibility of a meeting between Presidents Putin and Trump, Peskov said such a meeting would be desirable for both sides at an appropriate time but must be preceded by thorough preparations.
Author's summary: The Kremlin blames Ukraine's reluctance and European influence for delaying peace, acknowledging complete distrust between Moscow and Kyiv while noting potential for future high-level talks.