Kremlin Declares Ukraine Peace Talks on ‘Deep Pause’ as Offensive Intensifies
The Kremlin has declared that peace negotiations with Ukraine are on a “deep pause,” dismissing diplomatic efforts as Russian forces continue their offensive in the Donetsk region.
The Kremlin has declared that peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine are on a "deep pause," dismissing diplomatic efforts as Russian forces press their offensive in eastern Ukraine. Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, told reporters on Friday that the military campaign, which Moscow euphemistically terms a "special military operation," would continue, with Russian troops making gains on the frontlines.
Mr Peskov's comments mark a notable departure from previous remarks this summer, when he confirmed that Russia was maintaining dialogue with American negotiators. The rejection of diplomacy comes after The New York Times reported that CIA Director John Ratcliffe had visited Moscow this week with the aim of pushing the Kremlin to pursue a peace deal with Kyiv. It also follows a meeting between a senior Vatican diplomatic envoy and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who had called for peace in Ukraine.
In his remarks, Mr Peskov insisted that the Russian military was "intentionally destroying the Kyiv regime's military and military-adjacent infrastructure." He added, "Our forces know what they're doing and how to do it," a statement made a day after the chief of Russia's General Staff claimed that Russian troops were inching closer to the heavily fortified Donetsk city of Slovyansk. President Vladimir Putin continues to demand that Ukraine cede full control of the Donetsk region as a prerequisite for any ceasefire agreement, a condition Kyiv has repeatedly rejected.
"The Ukrainian side knows our demands full well. They just don't want to discuss them peacefully," Mr Peskov said, framing the impasse as a refusal by Ukraine to engage, rather than a rejection of Russia's illegal territorial demands. The declaration of a "deep pause" in talks underscores Moscow's commitment to its brutal campaign against a sovereign nation, as Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine continues to exact a heavy toll on the Ukrainian people and their resistance against the Russian invaders. The Kremlin's position offers no prospect of a diplomatic resolution while its forces occupy sovereign territory, leaving Ukraine with little choice but to defend itself against an aggressor that has repeatedly demonstrated its disdain for international law and Ukrainian sovereignty.