The Kremlin on Thursday accused Ukraine of withdrawing from peace talks with Russia “by order” by the United States in March, when “a very, very difficult balance” had been reached between Kiev and Moscow.
“The text was really ready. (…) And suddenly the Ukrainian side disappeared from the radar, saying that it no longer wanted to continue the negotiations,” regretted the spokesman of the Russian presidency, Dmitry Peskov, who said that President Vladimir Putin considered it clear that “any such rejection of the already agreed accords was clearly at the behest of Washington.”
“It’s pretty obvious,” Peskov insisted in comments to journalists.
On Wednesday, the President of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, Umaro Sissoco Embalo, the current president of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), had said in Kiev that Vladimir Putin, with whom he had been the day before, had “expressed the idea that he was ready to negotiate with President Volodymir Zelensky” of Ukraine.
Asked about these statements, Peskov assured that Russia is “ready to safeguard its interests at the negotiating table”.
That’s what we want, but in this particular case we are talking about complete restraint on the part of Ukraine,” he lamented, adding that “there was no specific message” for the Ukrainian presidency.
Volodymyr Zelensky quickly rejected any possibility of talks with Moscow and denounced Vladimir Putin’s “prepared rhetoric”.
The Ukrainian leader was already categorical when he said in late September that Ukraine would not negotiate with Russia as long as Vladimir Putin was president.
Talks between Kiev and Moscow have stalled since March, with both sides blaming each other for the standoff.
Russia launched a military offensive in Ukraine on February 24, condemned by the generality of the international community, which has responded with economic and military support to Ukraine and the imposition of unprecedented political and economic sanctions against Russia.
Source: DN
