On Tuesday, the Kremlin dismissed claims made by U.S. special envoy Keith Kellogg that it is postponing the next round of peace negotiations with Ukraine while Russian forces continue to strike civilian locations.
“Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, ‘No one is stalling anything. We are focused on achieving our objectives, which we are pursuing through our special military operation as well as through political and diplomatic channels.'”
Kellogg, appointed by U.S. President Donald Trump as his envoy to Ukraine, had previously characterized Peskov’s comments regarding the stalled talks as “Orwellian” and “baseless,” accusing Moscow of shifting blame for its own delays onto others.
In a post on X on Monday, Kellogg stated, “We call for an immediate ceasefire and the beginning of trilateral discussions to conclude the war. Russia cannot keep dragging its feet while continuing to bomb civilian areas in Ukraine.”
Kellogg’s response was prompted by a Kyiv Independent article titled, “After months of stalling, Russia blames Ukraine, U.S. for slow pace of peace talks.”
The piece referenced a statement from Peskov during a recent interview with Belarusian state media, where he indicated that the advancement of negotiations is contingent on the stance of both Kyiv and Washington, in addition to the conditions on the battlefield.
“A lot naturally hinges on the position of the Kyiv regime,” Peskov was quoted as saying. “It depends on the effectiveness of Washington’s mediation efforts.”
On Tuesday, Peskov expressed gratitude to the Trump administration for aiding the negotiation process with Ukraine, noting that establishing a date for the third round of discussions was the “next step” following the execution of prior humanitarian agreements.
Russia and Ukraine had earlier met in Istanbul on May 16, reaching an agreement to exchange 1,000 prisoners each, and again on June 2, when another prisoner swap and the return of approximately 6,000 fallen soldiers’ remains were arranged.
However, these discussions did not lead to any significant advancements towards a ceasefire.
President Vladimir Putin, who has rebuffed calls for an immediate ceasefire and intensified airstrikes in recent weeks, remarked on Friday that negotiations are still ongoing despite the “absolutely contradictory” peace demands from both Russia and Ukraine.
