Russia did not expect a breakthrough during the third round of negotiations with Ukraine, said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, quoted by TASS. According to him, such a breakthrough is unlikely at the moment, BTA reports.
„We did not expect a breakthrough. A breakthrough is hardly possible“, Peskov stressed, describing the Russian side's positions as “concrete and constructive“.
“The agenda is clear, focused on practical work that can lead to real results“, he added.
The Kremlin positively assesses the agreements reached on the exchange of captured citizens and the bodies of fallen soldiers, agreed upon during the negotiations.
“This is an extremely important humanitarian aspect that deserves to be on the agenda“, Peskov pointed out. “Although limited, this is a positive result.“
Regarding the proposals for a meeting between the leaders of the two countries, Peskov said that Kiev was rushing:
“With such talk, they are putting the cart before the horse. The real work must be done first, and then the leaders can confirm what has been achieved.“
Peskov stressed that if necessary, Russia is ready to discuss the results of the talks in Istanbul with Washington.
“Contact with the Americans can be organized very quickly. At the moment, there is actually a system for dialogue,“ he specified.
According to the Kremlin spokesman, Ukraine is experiencing a constant shortage of weapons and ammunition, which forces it to “beg“ for military aid.
“The supply of weapons is a dynamic but contradictory process“, Peskov commented.
Regarding Ukraine's attempts to transfer military operations to Russian territory, he said that this was nothing new.
“That is why the military is creating buffer zones and destroying military and paramilitary infrastructure“, he explained.
A specific possibility of a meeting between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump during the Russian leader's upcoming visit to China to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory over Japan has not yet been discussed.
“President Putin is preparing for the visit, but so far there is no information from the White House whether Trump will also travel“, Peskov concluded.