Kremlin Says Peace Talks on ‘Deep Pause’

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced on Friday that peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine are currently on a “deep pause” as Russian forces press their offensive in eastern Ukraine, The Moscow Times reported. “We’re pressing forward with the special military operation and our troops are making gains on the front lines,” Peskov told reporters. “As for peace talks, that topic is currently on a deep pause.”JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. Peskov’s comments mark a departure from his remarks earlier this summer, when he confirmed that Moscow was maintaining dialogue with US negotiators. The public dismissal of diplomacy also follows recent international efforts to broker a resolution. Earlier on Friday, The New York Times reported that US CIA Director John Ratcliffe visited Moscow this week to push the Kremlin toward a peace deal. Separately, a senior Vatican diplomatic envoy met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov this week to call for peace. Peskov stated that the Russian military is “intentionally destroying the Kyiv regime’s military and military-adjacent infrastructure.” His remarks came a day after the chief of Russia’s General Staff claimed that Russian troops were inching closer to the heavily fortified city of Sloviansk in the Donetsk region. Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to demand that Ukraine cede full control of the Donetsk region as a prerequisite for any ceasefire agreement – a condition that Kyiv has repeatedly rejected. Other Topics of Interest Baltic Nations Form Task Force Against Hybrid Threats European nations bordering the Baltic Sea have agreed to increase security coordination and establish a joint task force to counter hybrid warfare. “The Ukrainian side knows our demands full well. They just don’t want to discuss them peacefully,” Peskov said. Kyiv prepares for winter campaign amid stalled diplomacy The Kremlin’s hardline stance aligns with recent assessments from the Ukrainian leadership regarding the impossibility of an immediate ceasefire. Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Ukrainian Presidential Office, stated that halting the war along the current line of contact is unrealistic because Russia categorically refuses to stop the fighting. Budanov confirmed that the conflict will continue through the upcoming winter. According to Budanov, the limited ongoing dialogue with Moscow is currently restricted almost entirely to prisoner exchanges. He announced that another major swap is expected “very soon,” characterizing these exchanges as a technical track that concerns “preparations for something major.” The stalled negotiations stand in contrast to Budanov’s earlier statements on Aug. 27, when he suggested a new round of talks could potentially be “revived” in September with US involvement. President Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed that Kyiv submitted a new framework for ending the war to Washington. The proposal outlines three key elements: a ceasefire, the creation of a demilitarized free economic zone, and ironclad security guarantees involving the EU and NATO. However, the Kremlin has consistently shown little appetite for compromise, with reports indicating Putin intends to fight until his forces seize the remainder of the Donbas and establish buffer zones in Ukraine’s Sumy and Kharkiv regions. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.