Peace talks between Ukraine and Russia are currently on hold. The Kremlin is certain that the war could be over within a day. Ukraine only had to fulfill one condition.
According to the Kremlin, Russia would end its offensive against Ukraine immediately if Kiev capitulated. "The Ukrainian side can stop everything before the end of today," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists in Moscow. This would require "an order to the nationalist units" and "to the "Ukrainian soldiers to lay down their arms." Kyiv must also meet all Russian conditions. "Then it would all be over within a day."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had called on the G7 countries to make an effort to end the conflict in his country this year. Peskov said Russia has not set any timetables or deadlines. "We are guided by the statements of our President." The "special military operation" is proceeding "according to plan," said the Kremlin spokesman.
Kyiv has categorically rejected Moscow's calls for surrender. Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine on February 24. At the beginning there were also negotiations between representatives of Ukraine and Russia about a possible end to the war. These were aborted without result.
Putin's chief negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, blamed Ukraine for the failure of the talks. He stressed Moscow's willingness to negotiate. Selenskyj had recently emphasized several times that the war should be decided on the battlefield.
The Ukrainian Ambassador Andriy Melnyk, on the other hand, is calling on the German government to work alongside France to initiate peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. "I believe that it is also in Germany's hands to decide today whether to wait and see how the situation develops, or whether to take this initiative now and not only hopefully support us with more weapons, but also support these peace talks at the same time on the way," said Melnyk in May.
