On Tuesday, the Kremlin characterized the negotiations aimed at resolving the conflict in Ukraine as “highly complex,” cautioning against expectations of any rapid advancements while indicating it was awaiting Kyiv’s response to its suggestions.
Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin’s chief spokesperson, addressed reporters a day after Russian negotiators informed their Ukrainian counterparts during talks in Turkey that Russia would only cease hostilities if Ukraine agreed to relinquish significant territories and accept restrictions on its military size.
While Ukraine has previously rejected similar conditions, it stated that it would take Moscow’s proposals into account before providing an official response.
“The matter of reaching a peace agreement is highly intricate. There are various nuances involved, and just yesterday, you saw the draft of the memorandum we presented to the Ukrainian side,” Peskov remarked to the media.
“Naturally, it would be unreasonable to anticipate any immediate resolutions or groundbreaking developments in this context, but work is in progress. Some agreements were finalized in Istanbul, and they hold significant importance,” he continued. “These agreements will be enacted, and work will persist.”
Peskov also noted that Moscow and Washington have not arranged any new phone conversations or meetings between President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump yet. However, he mentioned that Putin is open to meeting Trump’s schedule if appropriately planned.
Nonetheless, Peskov suggested that it was improbable for Putin, Trump, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to engage in direct discussions together in the near future.
When asked if Russia was amenable to compromising on any of its proposals regarding the end of the war in Ukraine, Peskov refrained from providing a comment.