"The special military operation will continue. Russian forces are gaining positive momentum on the battlefield," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated on 5/12, when asked what would happen if Kyiv rejected Moscow's terms for a peace agreement.
Peskov's statement suggests Russia will intensify its offensive in Ukraine should current negotiation efforts fail. Russian forces have recently increased pressure on the battlefield and have successively seized several strategic strongholds in eastern Ukraine.
Peskov noted that Moscow's stance has always been clear and unchanged since the Russia-US summit in Alaska in August. However, he added that Russia is ready to be flexible in seeking solutions, remains open to negotiations, and seeks continued dialogue. According to him, Moscow has seriously worked on a draft peace plan prepared by US President Donald Trump's team.
Russia has repeatedly stated its position: it will not relinquish annexed territories, it opposes Ukraine joining NATO, and it insists Kyiv must maintain a "neutral, non-nuclear, and non-aligned" status.
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Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. Photo: TASS |
The US announced in late November that it had developed a peace plan to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict and was seeking to persuade both sides to accept it. The initial proposal faced opposition from Ukraine and Europe, as it was perceived to offer too many benefits to Russia, such as demanding Ukraine cede territory, accept limits on its military size, and cease its pursuit of NATO membership.
US and Ukrainian officials later negotiated to adjust the draft, but its contents have not been disclosed. Trump sent his son-in-law Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff to Moscow to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on 2/12, hoping to reach an agreement on Ukraine's sovereignty, territory, economic cooperation, and European security issues, but they failed to achieve any breakthrough.
Yuri Ushakov, President Putin's foreign policy advisor, stated on 5/12 that the Kremlin chief and Witkoff developed an understanding, making their exchange "truly friendly," adding that Kushner's participation in the effort was "very timely."
US officials reported that Witkoff and Kushner met with Ukrainian negotiating representatives, including National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov and Chief of the General Staff Andriy Hnatov, in Florida on 4-5/12. The two sides had "constructive discussions towards a fair and sustainable peace roadmap in Ukraine."
"Real progress on any agreement hinges on Russia demonstrating a serious commitment to lasting peace," Witkoff wrote on X, adding that Washington and Kyiv would continue discussions on 6/12.
By Nhu Tam
(According to TASS, AFP, Reuters)
