The Kremlin said Thursday that it does not believe peace talks with Ukraine have stalled and reaffirmed its stated intention to resolve the conflict through political and diplomatic means. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Moscow is still awaiting a signal from Kyiv on whether it is prepared to move forward with a third round of negotiations, following earlier meetings held in Istanbul in May.

“Moscow still wants to achieve its goals through peaceful dialogue,” Peskov stated, noting that the initiative now lies with Ukraine to indicate its willingness to proceed.

While the conflict continues to escalate on the battlefield, Russia’s repeated references to diplomacy are viewed with skepticism by many Western leaders, who question the sincerity of Moscow’s negotiating posture amid ongoing strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure and civilian areas.