The Kremlin says it is too early to discuss a potential four-way peace talks format proposed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and has restated its concerns about his electoral mandate.
Zelenskiy told the Associated Press news agency in an interview published on Saturday that he favoured four-way talks between the United States, Ukraine, Russia and the European Union and said it would be “very dangerous” for the US and Russia to hold talks about ending the war in his country that did not involve Ukraine.
His comments followed remarks by US President Donald Trump suggesting the US and Russia had already been in touch about Ukraine.
Trump did not provide details, and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov was cited by the Interfax news agency on January 27 as saying that direct contacts between Russia and Trump’s administration were not yet underway.
Asked on Monday about Zelenskiy’s thoughts on the format of future talks, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters: “So far, no one has discussed in any serious way a possible combination of participants in the negotiations.”
“So far, we are proceeding from the assumption that the Ukrainian president does not have the right to hold such talks,” he said.
Russia has long said the fact that Zelenskiy was not re-elected last year when his five-year term expired – due to martial law being in force – means he would not have the legal authority to sign a peace deal.
Ukraine rejects that stance as a disingenuous ploy designed to complicate negotiations.
Peskov said it was also difficult to discuss the possible format of any talks when a 2022 decree signed by Zelenskiy remains in force banning talks with Russia for as long as President Vladimir Putin is in charge.
Russia says the decree must be revoked.
“Discussing the possible composition of participants (of peace talks) while the decree remains in force is probably getting ahead of ourselves,” Peskov said.
When asked about the issue on Monday, Peskov said contacts were “apparently” planned but that there was nothing new to say on the matter for now.
Two Russian sources with knowledge of the discussions have told Reuters that Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are seen by Russia as possible venues for a summit between Trump and Putin.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian army chief Oleksandr Syrskyi condemned a spate of violent attacks on draft officers, rallying in defence of a call-up effort that has fuelled anger among some Ukrainians and struggled to generate sufficient frontline manpower.
The incidents, including the fatal shooting of a draft officer and explosions at two draft offices in three days, pile pressure on an already-troubled campaign to draft civilians despite faltering enthusiasm for service.
The setback comes as Ukraine is trying to project strength ahead of a potential negotiating process, with Trump pushing for a swift end to the war while Russian troops continue to capture more territory in the east.
General Syrskyi, who has complained of manpower shortages at the front, denounced what he said were “shameful acts of violence,” demanding investigations and punishment for incidents that killed two people and wounded seven more.
“The common goal of defending Ukraine is impossible without the entire nation’s support of the army and respect for military personnel,” he wrote on the Telegram messaging app.
The police arrested two suspects after a draft officer was shot dead on Friday at a petrol station in the central region of Poltava.
Prosecutors said one of the suspects had shot the officer, allowing a second man who had been mobilised and was in the officer’s charge to escape.
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