JAKARTA - Russian top officials said on Tuesday they agreed with the United States on peace in Ukraine, but reduced negotiating opportunities until the purpose of their special military operations was achieved.
Both US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin said they were open to diplomacy in Ukraine. However, a meeting between the two leaders has not yet been held and neither party has approved the terms for the talks.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in an interview on Monday that conflict in Ukraine will almost certainly end with diplomacy and negotiations, and that "fair and lasting peace" is needed.
Responding to Foreign Minister Blinken's comments, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he agreed on the need for peace.
"That the result must be a just and lasting peace, one can agree with this," he said.
"But for the prospect of a kind of negotiation, we don't see it right now, we have said it many times," Peskov continued.
Asked what should happen for such a prospect to materialize, he said: "The purpose of a special military operation must be achieved. Russia must and will achieve the goals it has set."
It is known that Russia's goals in Ukraine have not been fully determined, and appear to have shifted as its forces face setbacks on the battlefield, although it is said it will never give up occupied territory in southern and eastern Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Kyiv has ruled out handing over any land to Russia in exchange for peace, and demanded Russia return all territory it has captured and occupied, including Crimea and its Russian-controlled land or proxies since 2014.
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