'Our goals are clear' — Kremlin unwilling to compromise on demands ahead of proposed 3rd round of peace talks
Moscow appears unwilling to shift from its maximalist demands in ending its war with Ukraine, as Russian President Vladimir Putin remains focused on achieving his goals on the battlefield, a Kremlin spokesperson said on July 20.
"President Putin has repeatedly spoken of his desire to bring the Ukrainian settlement to a peaceful conclusion as soon as possible. This is a long process, it requires effort, and it is not easy," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told a Russian-state media reporter.
"The main thing for us is to achieve our goals. Our goals are clear," Peskov added.
The remarks reflect Moscow's growing list of maximalist demands presented in its so-called "peace memorandum" during recent negotiations with Ukraine in Istanbul on June 2.
The document calls for Ukraine to recognize Russia's annexation of Crimea and four partially occupied regions — Kherson, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Luhansk — and demands full Ukrainian troop withdrawal and demobilization. The Kremlin has also insisted that Ukraine dismantle and destroy all Western-supplied weapons as part of any ceasefire deal.
President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on July 19 that Ukraine has proposed a new round of peace talks with Russia for next week. The proposed talks, which will likely focus predominantly on prisoner exchanges, come as Russia has continued to reject a ceasefire in Ukraine.
Despite previous deadlock in negotiations, Zelensky stressed the need to increase the pace of negotiations, calling for urgent steps to achieve a ceasefire. Russia has not yet agreed to a third round of peace talks, but has signalled that talks may resume in Istanbul in the near future,
Russia's refusal to hold credible peace talks has angered U.S. President Donald Trump in recent weeks.
After months of stalled progress, Trump appeared to significantly shift his policy towards arming Kyiv by announcing on July 14 that he will send weaponry and Patriot missile defense systems to Ukraine through NATO. Trump also threatened Moscow with 100% tariffs unless a deal on ending the war is achieved within 50 days.
Despite Trump's tariff threats, three sources close to the Kremlin told Reuters on July 15 that Putin remains determined to continue the war against Ukraine until the West agrees to peace on his terms.
Ukraine and Russia held two rounds of bilateral peace talks earlier this year in Istanbul, first on May 16 and again on June 2 — after more than three years without direct negotiations. The meetings resulted in significant prisoner exchanges, but no significant steps toward a ceasefire.
