Moscow’s conditions before any peace negotiations with Ukraine

The spokesman for the Russian presidency, Dmitry Peskov, insisted that kyiv “must take into account the realities that have developed on the ground” with regard to the annexation of several Ukrainian areas.

Ukraine must cede the territories which Russia claims should be annexed before any diplomatic negotiations, the Kremlin said on Tuesday, in response to Volodymyr Zelensky’s proposal to organize a “world peace summit”.

“These realities are that the Russian Federation has new subjects as a result of referendums that have taken place in these territories”, he said, deeming “impossible any” diplomatic progress as long as kyiv does not take into account these realities.

Dmitry Peskov also said it was “out of the question” for Russia to withdraw its troops from Ukraine before Christmas, another request by President Volodymyr Zelensky made Monday during a speech to the G7 countries gathered by videoconference.