Russia Blames Kyiv and Europe for Stalled Peace Efforts
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated on Friday that progress in resolving the Ukrainian conflict has stalled because Kyiv refuses to take a political and diplomatic route. During a press briefing in Moscow, he accused European nations of fueling Ukraine’s desire to continue the 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."
Responding to US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff’s comments about a lack of trust between Russia and Ukraine, Peskov said the trust issue remains fundamental.
"Of course, we cannot talk about any kind of mutual trust now. This is not a deficit of trust, but its absence."
Peskov chose not to address statements made by US President Donald Trump, who recently said he had ended eight armed conflicts this year and wanted to add peace in Ukraine to his list of successes, asserting that Washington had already made significant progress in this area.
Regarding a potential meeting between Presidents Putin and Trump, Peskov noted that such an encounter would be mutually beneficial at some stage but would require careful preparation first.
Author’s Summary
The Kremlin attributes the deadlock in Ukraine peace talks to Kyiv’s stance and European influence, while highlighting a complete lack of trust between Moscow and Kyiv.