On Russia-Ukraine ties after end of ongoing war, Kremlin spokesman says topic ‘too theoretical a question right now’
The Kremlin on Sunday accused Kyiv and the West of rejecting all proposals for dialogue concerning the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, as the two countries held a third round of renewed peace talks in Türkiye earlier this week.
In remarks to the Russian state news agency Tass, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the future of Moscow-Kyiv relations after the end of the ongoing armed conflict in Ukraine as “too theoretical a question right now."
“First, we need to settle the problem, and we need to record the fulfillment of the tasks that the special military operation faced,” Peskov said, referring to Russia’s term for the ongoing Ukraine war, now in its fourth year.
It is preferable for Moscow to fulfill the goals of its “operation” through diplomatic means, Peskov noted, arguing that Russia continues its actions in this regard “in conditions when these means have become impossible, when all proposals for dialogue have been rejected, both by Ukraine itself and by Westerners.”
He also said it would be a “preferred” option for Russia if they manage to move the resolution of the conflict into diplomatic channels.
“But first, we need to settle the situation, and then think about how relations will be built,” he added.
Ukrainian authorities have not yet commented on Peskov’s statement, though Kyiv has long accused Moscow of stalling negotiations for a settlement of the conflict. Russia has rejected Ukraine's accusations.
The spokesman’s statements come as the two countries held a third round of renewed peace talks in the Turkish metropolis Istanbul on Wednesday evening, which notably resulted in an agreement on a new prisoner exchange with at least 1,200 people from each side.
Before then, two rounds of direct peace talks between Russia and Ukraine had taken place in Türkiye -- on May 16 and June 2.
