West bars Kiev from thinking about peace: Kremlin
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According to Moscow, the US and its allies are still betting on a protracted battle.
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Russia and Ukraine peace talks.
The United States and its allies are still interested in the ongoing war in Ukraine, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Sunday. According to the official, Western nations essentially hinder Kiev's leadership from even considering future peace negotiations.
When asked about the possible reasons for German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron's decision to stop calling Russian President Vladimir Putin, Peskov said it was again another proof that Western leaders are not interested in attaining peace through conversation and negotiations.
“At the moment, the Western nations are actively betting on the continued war,” Peskov told the TV show ‘Moscow. Kremlin. Putin.’ on Russia’s Rossiya 1 channel. The position of the Western nations –led by Washington– leads to a situation where they “allow Ukrainians neither to think nor talk about or discuss peace,” the Russian president’s spokesman added.
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The Kremlin believes that “common sense” would eventually prevail and the sides will return to the negotiation table. “Now, the demand for pacifying the situation is low,” Peskov commented, adding that “we are sure … that the time for talks will come.”
Kiev will still have to “once again understand” all the demands put forward by Moscow before the talks could continue, the Kremlin spokesman pointed out. The Ukrainian government is well aware of Russia’s position, he said, adding that Kiev just needs to “sit down at the [negotiation] table” and “sign a document that has already been largely agreed.”
Moscow and Kiev started peace talks just four days after the start of the Russian military operation in Ukraine in late February. The sides have held several rounds in person in Belarus and then continued the talks via a video link. In late March, the delegations from Russia and Ukraine met once again in Istanbul.
The discussions have since stopped since the Ukrainian side has insisted on returning to the table only when it is in a "stronger bargaining position." In April, Putin accused Kiev of stymieing the process. Peskov stated at the time that Russia had sent a draft agreement to Ukraine and was waiting for a response.
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In June, Ukraine’s top negotiator David Arakhamia suggested that Kiev believes it could achieve this “favorable position” by late August after it conducts “counteroffensive operations in certain areas.”
On February 24, Russia moved soldiers into Ukraine due to Kiev's failure to fulfill the Minsk agreements, which were intended to grant Donetsk and Lugansk special status within the Ukrainian state.
