Russia says it opens to Ukraine’s peace talks, but insists on achieving its “goals” – the country
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Sunday that Russia is keeping peace with Ukraine, but achieving its goals remains a priority.
Peskov and other Russian officials have repeatedly rejected allegations that Kiev and its Western partners have promoted peace talks. Meanwhile, Moscow continues to step up long-range attacks on Ukrainian cities, launching more drones in one night than in the entire months of 2024, and analysts say the ballistics may escalate.
“President Putin (Vladimir) Putin repeatedly talked about his desire to draw a peaceful conclusion to the Ukrainian settlement as soon as possible. It’s a long process and requires effort, and it’s not easy.”
“For us, the most important thing is to achieve our goals. Our goals are clear,” he added.
The Kremlin insists that any peace agreement should withdraw Ukraine from four areas illegally annexed in September 2022, but never completely occupied. It also hopes Ukraine will abandon its bid to join NATO and accept strict restrictions on the armed forces – demanding that Kiev and its Western allies refuse.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a night speech on Saturday that his officials proposed a round of peace talks this week. Russian state media reported on Sunday that a date for negotiations has not been determined, but said Istanbul is likely to remain the host city.
Trump threatened Russia with huge tariffs on July 14 and announced a rejuvenating American weapon to get Ukraine to Ukraine, and his stance on Moscow strengthened his stance on Moscow after months of frustration after a few months aimed at ending the war. Istanbul’s direct Russian-Ukrainian negotiations led to several rounds of prisoner exchanges, but hardly anything else.
Trump said he will impose “serious tariffs” unless a peace agreement is reached within 50 days. He provided details on how they could be implemented, but suggested that they would target Russia’s trading partners to isolate Moscow’s global economy.
In addition, Trump said European allies would purchase “billions of dollars” of U.S. military equipment to transfer to Ukraine and supplement the weapons supply of the besieged countries. The plan included the Patriot air defense system, a top priority for Ukraine as it boycotts Russia’s drones and missiles.
Recently, when the Pentagon suspended goods due to concerns about U.S. stocks, it was doubtful about Trump’s commitment to supply Ukraine.
Elsewhere, the Ukrainian Air Force said it shot down 18 of the 57 Shah-type and bait drones that Russia fired overnight to Sunday, with seven of them disappearing from the radar.
Two women were injured in Zaporizhzhia, in southern Ukraine, which was partially occupied by Russia when a drone attacked the house. Two other civilians were injured after a drone hit a residential building in the Iz Islands in northeastern Ukraine.
& Copy 2025 Canadian Press
