Russia says idea of Ukraine peace talks without Moscow is absurd
The Kremlin said on Monday that the idea of holding peace talks without Russia was ridiculous, after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he hoped to hold a spring summit in Switzerland to discuss his peace vision with Kyiv's allies.
![](/var/site/storage/images/_aliases/i1320/7/0/8/7/57807-1-eng-GB/6f9cfbc5bcf8-PES.jpg)
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, Alexander Zemlianichenko/Pool via Reuters
The Kremlin said on Monday that the idea of holding peace talks without Russia was ridiculous, after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he hoped to hold a spring summit in Switzerland to discuss his peace vision with Kyiv's allies.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters: "We have repeatedly said that this is a strange format, to say the least, because certain peace plans are being implemented without the participation of Russia, which in itself is frivolous and even laughable."
Zelenskiy's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, said on Sunday, however, that a blueprint from the summit in Switzerland could be handed to Russia at a later date.
"There can be a situation in which we together invite representatives of the Russian Federation, where they will be presented with the plan in case whoever is representing the aggressor country at that time will want to genuinely end this war and return to a just peace," Yermak said.
After two years of war, Russia holds just under a fifth of Ukraine's internationally recognised territory. Moscow has repeatedly said it is open to talks, but that these must recognise the "new realities on the ground". Ukraine demands the restoration of its territorial integrity and a full withdrawal of Russian forces.
Reuters reported exclusively this month that Putin sent signals to the United States in 2023 in public and privately through intermediaries, including through Moscow's Arab partners in the Middle East, that he was ready to consider a ceasefire in Ukraine that would freeze the conflict at the current lines.
A U.S. source denied there had been any official contact and said Washington would not engage in talks that did not involve Ukraine.
Editing by Nick Macfie
Related
Politics
China stops short of Africa debt relief as pledges more cash
China stopped short of providing the debt relief sought by many African countries this week, but pledged 360 billion yuan ($50.7 billion) over three years in credit lines and investments.
Politics
Hungary's Orban says Meloni is 'Christian sister' who shares cultural roots
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban hailed his close relationship with Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni on Friday, describing her as his "Christian sister", and said cultural identity was playing a growing role in European politics.
Subscribe to our newsletter
![Mena banner 4](/var/site/storage/images/_aliases/i1920/6/5/3/5/25356-1-eng-GB/6ad058a539fc-LIF.jpg)