Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has said, Russia is ready to move quickly towards a settlement on Ukraine, but the main objective is to achieve its goals. Peskov told state television in an interview that President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly spoken of his desire to bring the Ukrainian settlement to a peaceful conclusion as soon as possible.
Russian officials have said repeatedly that any peace deal hinges on Ukraine withdrawing forces from four regions, renouncing its NATO bid and halting NATO troop deployments.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that his officials have proposed holding a new round of peace talks with Moscow this week. On July 14, US President Donald Trump said, the United States will send weapons to Ukraine through NATO, and threatened severe tariffs targeting Russia if a ceasefire deal is not reached in 50 days. Russia rejected Trump’s 50-day ultimatum, dismissing the threat as unacceptable.
Mr. Peskov said that the world was now accustomed to U.S. President Donald Trump’s sometimes “harsh” rhetoric but pointed out that Trump had also underscored in comments on Russia that he would continue to search for a peace deal.
“President Putin has repeatedly spoken of his desire to bring the Ukrainian settlement to a peaceful conclusion as soon as possible. This is a long process, it requires effort, and it is not easy,” Mr. Peskov said told state television reporter Pavel Zarubin.
“The main thing for us is to achieve our goals. Our goals are clear,” Mr. Peskov said. On Monday, Mr. Trump announced a tougher stance on Russia, pledging a new wave of military aid to Ukraine, including Patriot missile defence systems. He also gave Russia a 50-day deadline to agree to a ceasefire or face additional sanctions.
