MOSCOW, March 26 (Reuters) - Russia is in contact with the United States about a new round of talks on a Ukraine peace settlement as soon as conditions allow, the Kremlin said on Thursday. "We remain
Russia Expresses Hope for New US-Ukraine Peace Talks When Conditions Permit
Kremlin Comments on Prospects for Ukraine Peace Negotiations
MOSCOW, March 26 (Reuters) - Russia is in contact with the United States about a new round of talks on a Ukraine peace settlement as soon as conditions allow, the Kremlin said on Thursday.
Kremlin's Stance on Peace Talks
"We remain open, we are in contact with the Americans, and we are counting on holding the next round of talks as soon as circumstances permit," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
Rejection of New York Times Opinion
Peskov rejected the thesis of a New York Times opinion piece that said the Iran war had caused President Vladimir Putin to lose interest in negotiating an end to the Ukraine conflict.
Progress in Previous Negotiations
"This is an absolutely false invention that does not correspond to reality. During the rounds of trilateral talks that have taken place, some progress was made toward a settlement," Peskov told reporters.
Key Issues Remain Unresolved
Peskov said Russia had not lost interest in peace talks but added that key issues - including territory - had yet to be settled.
Impact of Global Events on Negotiations
The NYT opinion piece, by Russian journalist Mikhail Zygar, said Russia's economy had been faltering earlier this year, prompting Putin at that point to take negotiations on a Ukraine settlement more seriously.
Effect of Iran War on Russia's Position
However, Zygar said the Iran war had reversed those dynamics by boosting oil prices, easing the economic pressure on Moscow and reducing the U.S. focus on Ukraine, weakening any incentive for the Kremlin to seek a settlement.
Recent Diplomatic Developments
Earlier this week, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said the U.S. had briefed Russia about Washington's latest round of talks with a Ukrainian delegation in Florida, which took place last Saturday.
Timeline of Peace Talks
The last three-way peace talks between Russia, Ukraine and the U.S. took place last month, before the Trump administration and Israel began airstrikes against Iran on February 28.
(Reporting by Dmitry Antonov; Writing by Anna Peverieri; editing by Mark Trevelyan and Gareth Jones)
