The Kremlin has officially ruled out any suspension of military operations ahead of scheduled trilateral talks involving the United States and Ukraine. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov addressed reporters on Friday, stating that Moscow remains firmly opposed to a ceasefire that would grant Kiev a period of respite.
The negotiations are currently slated to take place in Abu Dhabi in November. Peskov clarified that preparations for these discussions do not include a pause in the ongoing fighting, according to reports from Russia’s state-run TASS news agency. When questioned regarding the potential participation of European nations, Peskov noted that while their involvement might become necessary at a later stage, no substantive or concrete discussions on the matter have occurred thus far.
Regarding recent Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries, Peskov stated that these actions would not jeopardize the planned negotiations. He added that Moscow does not intend to raise the issue during the Abu Dhabi meeting, viewing it as a topic for Washington and Kiev to address. Meanwhile, the European Union has expressed readiness to engage in negotiations aimed at ending the conflict. European Commission spokesperson Paula Pinho told reporters in Brussels that the EU has been preparing for such discussions and is awaiting the moment when Russia is ready to participate in real terms to conclude the war, which first began in February 2022.
Recent diplomatic attention has been heightened following phone calls between the leaders of Finland and Norway and Russian President Vladimir Putin. On the battlefield, both Moscow and Kiev have intensified strikes against logistics centers, ports, and energy infrastructure in recent months, though both sides deny intentionally targeting civilian facilities. Reports from The Wall Street Journal on Thursday suggested that Ukraine had informally paused attacks on Russian oil refineries amid pressure from US President Donald Trump and ongoing uncertainty regarding US support. This unofficial halt reportedly began early last week and is expected to last until after the US midterm elections, though Ukraine has not made any official announcement regarding a pause.
