The Kremlin said the involvement of Kyiv and other European capitals in US-led negotiations to end the Russia-Ukraine war was damaging prospects for peace, but welcomed the growing possibility of talks between Russian president Vladimir Putin and French counterpart Emmanuel Macron.
US and Russian envoys held talks in Miami over the weekend about a potential peace plan that was leaked last month, when it prompted intense efforts by Ukraine and its European allies to rework proposals that they saw as heavily weighted in Moscow’s favour.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy and European leaders say they are now more comfortable with the draft proposals, but Russia has warned that it will reject any changes to key parts of the original document – casting doubt on chances for a swift diplomatic resolution to the biggest conflict in Europe since the second World War.
“I am sure that the proposals that the Europeans and Ukrainians have made, or are trying to make, definitely do not improve the document and do not improve the possibility of achieving long-term peace,” senior Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said on Sunday.
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He said the Kremlin wanted “the Americans and everyone else to stick to the agreements reached, particularly in Anchorage, and in other negotiations as well”, referring to a summit in Alaska in August between Mr Putin and US president Donald Trump.
Neither side publicly revealed what was discussed or agreed there, but after the summit Mr Trump increased pressure on Ukraine to reach a quick and comprehensive deal with the Kremlin that involved giving Russia parts of the eastern Donetsk region that Kyiv still controls.
Mr Ushakov spoke as Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev met US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner – Trump’s long-time friend and son-in-law, respectively – for a second day of talks on the peace proposals in Miami, after the Americans met Ukrainian and European officials on Friday.
No details were immediately released about the substance of any of the meetings, although Mr Dmitriev, a former Wall Street banker who has become a key figure in Kremlin attempts to forge strong links with the Trump administration, told Russian media that Saturday’s talks were “constructive”.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Mr Dmitriev was in Miami to “receive information about what the Americans and Europeans have worked on. Then he will report it to [Putin].”
Mr Peskov said Mr Putin was open to the possibility of meeting Mr Macron, after the French leader said on Friday it was time for Europe to resume talks with the Russian autocrat, to avoid being sidelined in efforts to end the invasion of Ukraine.
“If there is mutual political will, then this can only be viewed positively,” Mr Peskov said.
In response, Mr Macron’s administration said it was “welcome that the Kremlin has publicly agreed to this approach. We will decide in the coming days on the best way to proceed.”
The Elysée said any talks would be conducted “in full transparency” with Kyiv and European allies in the search for a “solid and lasting peace” for Ukraine.
“The invasion of Ukraine and president Putin’s obstinacy ended any possibility of dialogue” since he launched all-out war on Ukraine in 2022, the French presidency added, but “as soon as the prospect of a ceasefire and peace negotiations becomes clearer, it once again becomes useful to talk to Putin.”
Mr Zelenskiy said on Saturday that he remained open to any possibility of a summit with Mr Trump and Mr Putin.
However, Mr Ushakov said: “Until now no one has seriously talked about this idea, and it is not being worked on, as far as I know.”
