Kremlin says there is no basis for peace negotiations with Ukraine

The Kremlin said on Wednesday that there is no current basis for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine and that Kyiv's proposed peace plan was absurd as it excluded Russia.

"We really consider that the topic of negotiations is not relevant right now," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

Peskov said that Britain had sunk chances of a peace deal in 2022 by putting pressure on Kyiv to refuse a draft deal shortly after Russia sent troops into Ukraine.


"After that, there were no prerequisites for negotiations - and there were even fewer prerequisites after Ukraine actually legally prohibited any negotiations with the Russian side," Peskov said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy signed a decree in October 2022 formally declaring the prospect of any Ukrainian talks with Putin "impossible" after Russia claimed to have annexed four regions of southern and eastern Ukraine.

Peskov said that Zelenskiy's peace plan, known as his "peace formula", was flawed because he said it sought to find peace without Russia's participation.

"To say the least, this is an absurd process," Peskov said.

Zelenskiy's 10-point peace plan calls for the withdrawal of Russian troops and cessation of hostilities and the restoration of Ukraine's state borders with Russia. (Reporting by Gleb Stolyarov; writing by Guy Faulconbridge)