Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov explained that the Kremlin is still open to a negotiated settlement to the war in Ukraine. A Russian diplomatic source said that a second summit between President Vladimir Putin and President Donald Trump is necessary.
“Given the lack of an opportunity to continue negotiations, we will certainly proceed with the special military operation to achieve the objectives set by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief and the President [Vladimir Putin],” Peskov said on Thursday.
He continued, “Russia is open to settling the Ukrainian conflict via political and diplomatic means. But with the lack of such an opportunity, when the doors for this have been slammed shut by the Kiev regime, we continue with the special military operation.”
Peskov made the remarks as Russian forces have made significant gains in the Donbas in recent weeks. Russian soldiers have seized Ukrainian villages across the front lines and have nearly taken control over a key city in the Donbas.
The Kremlin is demanding that Kiev recognize Moscow’s claim to the Donbas and the territory in southern Ukraine held by Russian forces. Putin is also calling on Ukraine to agree never to join NATO and demilitarize. Kiev says the war will not end until all of its territory is retaken, including Crimea. Additionally, Ukrainian President Zelensky says Putin must be tried for war crimes.
There was some optimism that President Donald Trump could end the conflict. On the campaign trail, the President said he would end the war within a day.
The Kremlin says no “significant progress” was made this year, and that Kiev had withdrawn from negotiations.
Additionally, a Russian diplomatic source told state media that Putin and Trump need to meet again. The leaders on August 15 in Alaska. After a mid-October phone call with Putin, Trump announced the two leaders would meet in Hungary. However, the summit was called off after a phone call between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
“The issue of a new meeting between the presidents was discussed in this context by Lavrov in a phone call with Rubio on October 20,” The Russian diplomat said. “The summit is definitely necessary, but it must be preceded by careful organizational and substantive preparation. However, this is only feasible if the US firmly adheres to the Anchorage agreements.”
He added, “We are convinced that the practical details of the meeting between the presidents must be worked out in the spirit of the understandings reached in Alaska.”
