Kremlin affirms Putin ‘doing whatever possible’ for Ukraine peace

(MENAFN) Russian President Vladimir Putin is making every effort to resolve the Ukraine conflict through peaceful means, but is left with no alternative but to continue military actions due to Ukraine's unwillingness to engage in dialogue, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told ABC News on Friday.

Peskov accused Ukraine of avoiding negotiations despite publicly supporting a ceasefire. He argued that any truce would likely be used by Kiev to mobilize and retrain troops, giving them a tactical edge. “Ukraine will exploit the ceasefire to draft, train, and rest troops. Why should we provide them with that opportunity?” he said.

Another major concern for Moscow is the continued flow of Western weapons into Ukraine. Peskov stated that halting such arms deliveries must be part of any truce, or else it would unfairly benefit Kiev.

He stressed that Putin remains committed to a diplomatic resolution: “The president is doing all he can to achieve peace through negotiations,” Peskov said. However, in the absence of viable diplomatic options, the military campaign must proceed.

Peskov expressed hope that U.S. President Donald Trump might help break the deadlock, suggesting that he could influence Kiev to approach the conflict with more “political will and flexibility.”

Russia had proposed a 72-hour ceasefire from May 8 to May 11, coinciding with the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany, calling it a goodwill gesture aimed at starting direct peace talks. Ukraine rejected the offer, labeling it “manipulation,” and instead proposed a 30-day ceasefire.

Moscow claims that despite its offer, Ukraine carried out thousands of attacks, including four cross-border raids into Russia’s Kursk and Belgorod regions.

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