Kremlin's Meeting Proposal Shows No Desire to End Aggression, Says Ukraine's Foreign Minister.

Statement by Andrii Sybiha

According to UATV: Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has stated that Vladimir Putin shows no willingness to halt his aggression, responding to a Kremlin proposal for a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The Kremlin expressed readiness to organize such a meeting on Russian territory, with Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov specifying that talks could only take place in Moscow.

Sybiha emphasized that President Zelenskyy is prepared to meet with Putin to discuss the most serious issues. However, the minister stated that the Kremlin's public reaction to this initiative once again confirms that Putin has no intention of stopping his aggressive actions. This stance comes as Ukraine continues to defend its sovereignty against a full-scale invasion that began in February 2022.

Sanctions and Negotiations

Furthermore, the European Union plans to approve a 20th package of sanctions against Russia by February 24. Consequently, the situation surrounding potential negotiations remains tense, with Kyiv and Washington preparing for the next round of talks in a trilateral format.

The Ukrainian Foreign Minister's statement underscores the lack of progress in peace talks and points to a deepening of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. Amid new EU sanctions that will further pressure Russia, Kyiv continues to seek paths for a diplomatic resolution, though the Kremlin's readiness for constructive dialogue remains highly doubtful.