The Kremlin said on Monday that continued negotiations with Kyiv are in Russia's interest and that Moscow favors resolving the conflict through political and diplomatic channels.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated that Russia remains committed to dialogue despite recent suggestions to the contrary. "We have our own interests that we must protect, and it is in our interests to continue these negotiations. We certainly remain open to these negotiations," Peskov said, adding that "a political and diplomatic resolution" was Moscow's preferred approach to ending the fighting.
Talks have run into difficulty in recent weeks amid disagreement over the fate of the eastern Donbas region. Moscow has insisted Ukraine surrender the portion of Donbas still outside Russian control, a demand that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has rejected.
Reporting over the weekend, citing people familiar with the matter, said some Russian officials have questioned the point of continuing U.S.-led negotiations unless Kyiv signaled a willingness to cede territory. Peskov responded by saying Russia's stance toward the negotiations had not changed.
When reporters asked whether possible U.S. strikes on Iran would affect the Ukraine peace process, Peskov said Russia continued to value mediation efforts by the United States. He also emphasized that Moscow trusted itself "first and foremost" and would act in line with its own interests.
The Kremlin's public comments reinforce Moscow's stated preference for a negotiated settlement, even as substantive disagreements persist over territorial demands. The combination of a firm Russian position on Donbas and Peskov's remarks on U.S. mediation leaves the future of the talks uncertain.
This reporting outlines the current positions expressed by Kremlin officials and recent accounts of how some Russian policymakers view the utility of continued talks, without new developments beyond those statements.