Kremlin: Putin Did Not Reject US Peace Plan
Tehran - BORNA - Following consultations between a US delegation and the Russian President, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov responded to claims that Putin had rejected the Ukraine peace plan.
"No, that is not true," Peskov stated. "The fact is that such a direct exchange of views took place for the first time yesterday. And again, as stated yesterday, some things were acceptable, and others were unacceptable. This is a normal working process and a search for compromise."
The Kremlin spokesperson noted that Russia "values and appreciates" the political will shown by U.S. President Donald Trump for a peaceful resolution to the crisis in Ukraine. Peskov added that Moscow is ready to meet with the Trump administration whenever necessary to resolve the situation in Ukraine.
He suggested that a telephone conversation between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump is possible and could be scheduled at any time.
Advocacy for Silent Diplomacy
Peskov emphasized Russia's preference for discretion in the ongoing talks.
"We will adhere to this principle of silence, and we hope that our American counterparts will also adhere to it," Peskov told reporters when asked about the technical aspects of the negotiations between Putin and US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. "Moscow is not a supporter of noisy diplomacy, and the United States also adheres to the fact that the quieter the negotiations on the Ukrainian settlement, the more fruitful they will be."
The Russian official also indicated that cooperation between Russia and the United States is ongoing at the expert level, and the results of this work should form the basis for high-level contacts.
EU Sanctions and Corruption
Peskov reiterated that Europeans are "deeply mistaken" in their obsession with inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia.
In response to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s remarks regarding key points of contention in the Ukraine talks, Peskov stated that these were not speculation, but rather the official statements of the Secretary of State.
Regarding internal issues in Europe, the Kremlin spokesperson said that corruption scandals in the European Union are their own concern, adding that "corruption in Kyiv and the corrupt tendencies of its authorities are well known."
Citing the RIA Novosti news agency, Peskov warned that if Europe abandons Russian gas, it will become dependent on gas that is much more expensive than Russia's. He added that Europe's turn to expensive energy sources instead of Russian gas will accelerate the loss of the Union's leadership potential. The warning follows the European Commission’s announcement that the bloc has agreed to permanently stop imports of Russian gas and gradually reduce Russian oil imports.
In a separate comment, Peskov stated that Moscow systematically combats corruption based on specific principles. He told reporters: "Corruption is a phenomenon that exists everywhere. Various countries and associations fight this phenomenon with varying degrees of effectiveness. In Russia, this is done systematically, purposefully, and regularly."
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