A lasting settlement in Ukraine is “impossible” without addressing the wider issue of European security, the Kremlin said Tuesday, as the US and Russia held the first high-level talks since Moscow’s offensive against Kyiv.
Before launching its offensive in February 2022, Moscow had asked NATO to pull out of central and eastern Europe.
“A lasting and long-term viable resolution is impossible without a comprehensive consideration of security issues on the continent,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, responding to a question by AFP.
He also said Moscow would not stop Ukraine from joining the European Union repeated that it remained opposed to Kyiv being part of NATO.
“With regard to Ukraine joining the EU, it is the sovereign right of any country… Nobody can dictate to another country and we do not plan on dictating,” Peskov said.
“But it is completely different when it comes to security issues and military alliances. Here we have a different approach that is well known,” he said.
Moscow in 2014 annexed Crimea and supported armed pro-Russian separatists in the east after a pro-EU revolution ousted Ukraine’s Moscow-friendly leader.
The Kremlin said Russian President Vladimir Putin was “ready” to hold talks with Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky.
“Putin himself said that he would be ready to negotiate with Zelensky if necessary, but the legal basis of agreements needs discussion considering the reality that Zelensky’s legitimacy can be questioned,” Peskov said.
Zelensky’s five-year mandate would have ran out last year, but Ukrainian law does not require presidential elections be held under martial law.
Moscow has disregarded that and repeatedly said it does not see Zelensky as a “legitimate” president.
Zelensky has said he would be prepared to “compromise” and meet with Putin, but only after Ukraine and its allies agree a common position for how to end the conflict.