Dmitry Peskov. Archival photoMOSCOW, May 27.The leadership of Ukraine constantly makes contradictory statements that do not allow understanding what Kyiv wants, said Dmitry Peskov, press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation. «Negotiations are now frozen by decision and in accordance with the line chosen by the Ukrainian side. This is the first thing that absolutely contrasts with Zelensky’s statements you mentioned. Second, in general, the leadership of Ukraine constantly makes statements that contradict each other. This does not allow us to fully understand what the Ukrainian side wants and whether she will show a sober approach and realize the real state of affairs,» Peskov said, answering journalists' questions about how the Kremlin can comment on Vladimir Zelensky's statement that negotiations with Russia «are necessary in order to end the conflict, but at the same time the Russian side does not want negotiations. «Earlier, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, said that Kyiv itself had put negotiations with the Russian Federation on aus and did not respond to Moscow's proposals on the draft treaty. Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine on February 24. President Vladimir Putin called its goal «the protection of people who have been subjected to bullying and genocide by the Kyiv regime for eight years.» For this, according to him, it is planned to carry out «demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine», to bring to justice all war criminals responsible for «bloody crimes against civilians» in Donbass. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, the Armed Forces strike only at the military infrastructure and Ukrainian troops and, as of March 25, they have completed the main tasks of the first stage — they have significantly reduced the combat potential of Ukraine. The main goal in the Russian military department was called the liberation of Donbass.
