Kremlin Rejects EU Peacekeepers in Ukraine, Dismisses Rapid Putin-Zelensky Talks
Kremlin Opposes EU Peacekeepers, Rules Out Immediate Putin-Zelensky Summit
On Wednesday, the Kremlin reiterated its opposition to European nations sending peacekeeping forces to Ukraine and dismissed the prospect of an imminent meeting between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Moscow views such discussions unfavorably, emphasizing that preventing NATO countries from establishing a military presence in Ukraine was a key factor behind Russia’s full-scale invasion launched in February 2022.
Ukraine has been seeking Western-backed security guarantees as part of any settlement to prevent future attacks, while Russia continues to demand territorial concessions in eastern Ukraine. Peskov described security guarantees as “one of the most important topics” in negotiations but declined to provide public details.
Regarding a potential summit, Peskov said any high-level talks between Putin and Zelenskyy would need to be thoroughly prepared to be effective, and that no date has been set. He confirmed that the Russian and Ukrainian negotiating teams remain in contact.
