Russia has firmly opposed the prospect of European peacekeeping troops being deployed to Ukraine, casting doubt on the likelihood of a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, which further diminishes hopes for a peace agreement., reports 24brussels.
In a statement from the Kremlin, spokesman Dmitry Peskov expressed negative sentiments towards discussions of a European peacekeeping force, linking it to NATO’s expansionism. “We view such discussions negatively,” he stated. Peskov identified the positioning of NATO military infrastructure in Ukraine as a “root cause” of Russia’s extensive military offensive launched in February 2022.
The ongoing conflict, which has lasted over three and a half years, has tragically resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of millions. As Ukraine demands strong Western-backed security guarantees to prevent any future Russian aggression, Moscow insists on further territorial concessions from Kyiv in the east.
Amidst rising tensions, Zelenskyy accused Russia of not demonstrating seriousness in seeking peace, criticizing its ongoing strikes on Ukrainian cities and villages. “The Russians are currently sending negative signals regarding meetings and further developments,” he remarked via social media.
Putin-Zelenskyy meeting
Zelenskyy has stressed the necessity of a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin to ease the stalemate over a potential agreement. However, the Kremlin has downplayed the feasibility of such a summit, suggesting substantial preparation is required for any high-level contact to yield meaningful results. “Any high-level or top-level contact must be well-prepared in order to be effective,” Peskov remarked.
As diplomatic dialogues continue, the heads of Russian and Ukrainian negotiating teams maintain communication, yet no date has been set for future discussions. Previous negotiations in Istanbul have yielded limited results, primarily revolving around prisoner exchanges.
Moscow’s negotiators have previously demanded that Ukraine withdraw its troops from the Donetsk, Kherson, Lugansk, and Zaporizhzhia regions, which Russia claims to have annexed but does not fully control. Kyiv has categorically rejected this proposition as a non-starter. Concurrently, Russia continues its military advances against Ukraine’s outnumbered forces.
Fresh strikes across Ukraine have led to recent casualties, including three deaths reported on Wednesday, and more than 100,000 households are without power, as stated by the Ukrainian authorities. “Russians attacked energy and gas transport infrastructure facilities in six regions,” the Ukrainian energy ministry declared, characterizing the assault as a “deliberate policy of destroying Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure” ahead of the crucial heating season.
In the Kherson region, heavy shelling resulted in the deaths of two farm employees, while an 81-year-old woman died in an overnight attack on the regional capital. Additionally, Zelenskyy noted that power outages affected residences in Poltava, Sumy, and Chernigiv regions as the conflict’s toll continues to mount.
Russia currently occupies roughly one-fifth of Ukraine and has claimed recent territorial gains, including the capture of a settlement in the Donetsk region near Pokrovsk, which has suffered severe destruction due to the protracted clashes.
