Moscow Currently Has No Planned Discussions with Kyiv
Seems like the "Washington Post" claimed that talks for a partial ceasefire were being secretly discussed between Russia and Ukraine, but these discussions allegedly got hindered due to Ukraine's offensive in the Kursk region. Moscow, however, refutes this notion, as stated by Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. According to her, no such negotiations have happened or are happening between the two sides regarding the safety of crucial civilian infrastructure.
The "Washington Post" earlier suggested these talks were supposed to take place in Qatar, aiming to halt attacks, at least against energy infrastructure. However, no mention of these discussions was ever made public.
The only communication that exists, Zakharova pointed out, is on a humanitarian level, particularly for exchanging prisoners. Russia has even helped Ukraine return wanted children to their families through intermediaries. She added that Kyiv backed out of negotiations with Moscow in the spring of 2022 and then legally prohibited them via a decree.
Before the military operation in the Kursk region commenced on August 6, Ukraine had expressed its readiness for peace talks with Russia. Russia labeled this move as a tactic after Ukrainian troops invaded the Kursk region, and Putin strongly questioned the feasibility of negotiations.
In June, Putin also put forward proposals to resolve the conflict. According to these proposals, Ukraine would have to surrender four areas that Russia annexed but does not entirely control. However, Ukraine wishes to liberate the regions of Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Luhansk from Russian control and, therefore, rejects their handover. Moscow also demands from Ukraine the abandonment of NATO membership and the protection of Russian-speaking minority rights in the country. Lastly, all sanctions against Russia must be lifted, as suggested by Moscow.
Despite the "Washington Post's" assertion of possible secret negotiations for a partial ceasefire, Ukraine's offensive in the Kursk region seemingly derailed these discussions. Contrarily, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova denies any such negotiations, emphasizing the absence of conversations regarding the safety of crucial civilian infrastructure.
