Russia rejects idea of EU troops in Ukraine, early Zelenskyy meet

Russia pushed back on Wednesday against the idea of European peacekeeping troops being deployed to Ukraine, and downplayed chances of a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in another blow to the chances of a peace deal.

US President Donald Trump has recently met both Zelenskyy and Russia's President Vladimir in his bid to end the conflict, which has been raging for over three and a half years. But Russia has shown little sign it is willing to compromise.

Ukraine is pushing for Western-backed security guarantees as a part of any agreement to ensure Russia does not attack again, while Moscow is demanding Kyiv cedes more territory in its east.


When asked how the Kremlin would view any possible European peacekeeping force in Ukraine, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "We view such discussions negatively."

He said it was "exactly this movement of NATO military infrastructure...into Ukraine" that Russia sees as one of the "root causes" behind its move to launch the all-out offensive in February 2022. Russia's invading forces have broken into an eighth region of Ukraine, a Ukrainian military official said Wednesday, seeking to capture more ground in their three-year war of attrition as US-led peace efforts struggle to gain traction.

Troops Enter New Region
Some Russian troops have entered the villages of Novoheorhiivka and Zaporizke in the eastern Dnipropetrovsk region, a major Ukrainian industrial center next to the Donetsk region where fierce fighting has been taking place, Victor Trehubov, spokesman for local ground forces, said over the phone.

Russia's defence ministry claimed earlier this month that its forces had taken the two villages.

But the Russians have not entrenched or built fortifications there, and fighting is continuing in the villages, Trehubov said.