OMM Newsroom
Preparations for trilateral talks involving Russia, the United States and Ukraine do not require a halt to fighting on the front line, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Friday, according to Anadolu Agency.
Peskov said Moscow was seeking lasting peace rather than a ceasefire that would allow Ukraine to regroup. He reiterated Russia’s opposition to a ceasefire that would provide Ukrainians with “respite”.
He said Moscow had no plans to suspend military operations ahead of the talks, which are scheduled to take place in Abu Dhabi in November.
Asked whether European countries would take part in the negotiations, Peskov said the issue had not been discussed. He added that European involvement could be needed at a later stage, but that no concrete discussions had taken place.
Peskov also said Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries would not jeopardize the planned negotiations.
Moscow did not intend to raise the strikes at the Abu Dhabi meeting, he said, describing the issue as one for Washington and Kyiv to discuss.
