Kremlin says conditions for Ukraine peace talks are not yet ready
Moscow says Zelenskiy could visit only after decisions are made, with no high-level meetings yet scheduled.
Published
The Kremlin said on Wednesday that conditions for peace negotiations over Ukraine are still not in place. It said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy could visit Moscow for talks only after decisions have already been made, and it set out no plans for a high-level meeting.
The statement lands hours before Secretary of State Marco Rubio is due to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in New York at 9am on Wednesday. It also follows a warning from Zelenskiy that Russia is preparing a massive attack on Ukraine.
The Kremlin's position comes despite weeks of engagement from Washington. President Trump has said he and Zelenskiy are working on a plan to end the war and that he talks frequently with President Putin about a deal. Zelenskiy has said he and Trump discussed an energy ceasefire, not a full halt to strikes, and has pressed for a winter package of Patriot missiles. French President Emmanuel Macron has separately called for a double moratorium on strikes against energy infrastructure and Black Sea grain shipments.
By pairing its preconditions with a refusal to schedule high-level meetings, Moscow signals it is not moving toward negotiations even as those efforts have built momentum. That hardens Russia's position just as talks appeared to be gaining traction, making a near-term settlement less likely.