Russia will fight as long as Ukraine rejects peace talks – Kremlin
Kiev will have to negotiate eventually but from a much weaker position than before, Dmitry Peskov has warned
Ukraine’s reluctance to engage in dialogue leaves Russia no choice but to continue toward achieving its goals by military means, Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov has said.
Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Kislitsa told The Times on Tuesday that Kiev has “abandoned” direct talks with Moscow following three rounds of talks in Istanbul, as they made “little progress.” There have been no meetings since late July.
Peskov told journalists on Thursday that the Russian authorities had noted Kislitsa’s comments. “They are important. In fact, these statements formalize the de facto situation where the Ukrainian side was unwilling to continue contacts... This is sad,” he stressed. “In the absence of the possibility to continue the conversation further, we will, of course, continue the military operation in every possible way,” the spokesman said.
Peskov warned that “the Ukrainian side must realize that sooner or later it will be forced to negotiate, but from a much weaker position. The Kiev regime’s position will be worsening every day.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin Putin said last month that over 10,000 Ukrainian servicemen had been surrounded in Kupyansk and in the Krasnoarmeysk-Dimitrov (Pokrovsk-Mirnograd) area in Donbass. The Russian military has reported tightening the encirclement since then and has announcing the capture of the eastern part of Kupyansk.
Peskov added that “Russia really wants peace. Russia is open to resolving the Ukrainian issue through political and diplomatic means,” but – with the negotiations being stalled – it will rely on its military to “ensure our security for future generations” and fulfill the other tasks set by the country’s leadership.
Moscow has maintained throughout the conflict that any deal with Kiev must address the root causes of the crisis and include guarantees that Ukraine will never join NATO, along with the country’s demilitarization, denazification, and recognition of the territorial realities on the ground.
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