On Tuesday (July 1), the Kremlin rejected the accusation of the United States that Moscow deliberately delayed peace negotiations with Ukraine, although Russian forces claimed complete capture of the Ukrainian Eastern Luhansk region.
The US envoy accuses Russia of delay
Special envoy to US President Donald Trump for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, said on Monday (June 30) that Russia was pulling his legs on the ongoing attacks.
“Russia can no longer stop while bombing civilian goals in Ukraine,” Kellogg told reporters.
Kremlin, “No one delays anything”
The Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who responded to the notes, rejected the claim and insisted that Moscow would honor his obligations.
“Nobody came here,” Peskov said in Moscow at Briefing.
“We are naturally for achieving the goals that we try to achieve through a special military operation by political and diplomatic means. Therefore, we are not interested in drawing anything.”
Peskov added that the date of the third round of negotiations still needs to be agreed.
Putin open to the new round of interviews
President Vladimir Putin said last Friday (June 27) that Russia was ready to continue peace negotiations, perhaps in Istanbul.
“There are big differences between the proposals presented by both sides,” Putin said, expressing hope that the dialogue would help narrow the gap.
Russia claims full control over Luhan
While the conversations remain stopped, Russia tightened the grip on the battlefield.
Leonid Pasechnik, a Russian head of Luhanska, said on Russian state television that the region is now fully under Russian control.
“The territory of the Luhansk People’s Republic is fully liberated – 100%,” said Pasemnik.
The Luhansk region, which covers about 26,700 square kilometers, is the first Ukrainian province to begin from the invasion in February 2022 under Russian control.
Kyiv: Russian claims are illegal
Ukraine rejected Russian claims of sovereignty over Luhansko and other occupied territories.
Officials in Kiev have committed that they never recognize Russian supplements that Western governments also call illegal.
The Government of Ukraine claims that the region remains part of its internationally recognized territory.
Strategic gains and historical context
Luhansk has been in conflict with a point of ignition since 2014, when Russia was joined by Crimea and separatists confiscated parts of Eastern Ukraine after the release of the pro -Russian President during the Maidan Revolution.
Russia now controls almost 19% of Ukraine, including all Luhansk and large parts of Donetsk, Zeporizzhia and Kherson, as well as parts of other regions.
Moscow insists that these territories will remain under Russian control and fall under a nuclear umbrella.
(Tagstotranslate) Kremlin
