Russia Hopes International Partners Push Kyiv To Continue Negotiations

JAKARTA - Russia calls on international partners to pressure Ukraine to hold the next round of live negotiations, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

"We urge everyone to do so. The mediation efforts that mostly come from the United States - President (Donald) Trump and his team - are key here. Although there are some statements and comments about disappointment, hopefully, in parallel, some pressure is put on the Ukrainian side," Peskov said in response to a TASS journalist's question about whether Moscow should seek help here from its partners, as quoted July 16.

"Because, as I have said, so far, the Ukrainian side appears to have received all the support addressed to him not as a signal towards peace, but as a signal to continue the war," Peskov added.

Last week, Peskov said Russia did not think Ukraine's peace negotiations had stalled despite US President Donald Trump's statement about Russian President Vladimir Putin and the resumption of several weapons shipments by Washington to Ukraine.

Peskov also said Russia was waiting for a date proposal from Ukraine regarding the next round of negotiations, after two rounds of previous negotiations.

Russia is known to have launched a special military operation on Ukrainian territory on February 24, 2022. Negotiations between the two countries were carried out in March 2022 in Belarus and Turkey, but no agreement has yet been reached.

In April, US President Steve Witkoff's special envoy was found to have met President Putin twice.

This year, the two countries have held two rounds of live negotiations, the first at the Dolmabache Palace on May 16 and the second at the Ciragan Palace on June 2, both in Istanbul, Turkey, to end the war between the two countries.

After the initial negotiations in June, Russia and Ukraine agreed to hold the next round of negotiations. Peskov said Moscow hopes that the next round date can be agreed upon soon.

Monday this week, President Trump threatened Russia with a 100 percent secondary tariff if it failed to reach an agreement to end Ukraine's war in 50 days.

This sparked a response from Moscow. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said his party wanted to understand President Trump's intentions regarding the 50-day war settlement ultimatum in Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it had paid attention to President Trump's statement and would analyze it thoroughly.