Kremlin Refutes Trump Envoys Allegations of Delaying Peace Negotiations with Ukraine

The Kremlin on Tuesday dismissed allegations from U.S. special envoy Keith Kellogg that it is stalling the upcoming peace negotiations with Ukraine while Russian forces continue to target civilian areas.

«Nothing is being delayed on our end,» Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated to journalists. «We are focused on achieving our objectives through the ongoing special military operation as well as through political and diplomatic channels.»

Kellogg, who was appointed as a special envoy to Ukraine by U.S. President Donald Trump, earlier criticized Peskov’s comments regarding the stalled talks as “Orwellian” and “baseless,” accusing Moscow of shifting blame onto others for its own hindrances.

«We call for an immediate ceasefire and the initiation of trilateral discussions to bring an end to the conflict. Russia should not be allowed to waste time while it bombards civilian sites in Ukraine,» Kellogg wrote on X on Monday.

His remarks were a reaction to a Kyiv Independent article headlined “After months of stalling, Russia blames Ukraine and the U.S. for the slow progress of peace negotiations.”

The piece referenced a quote from Peskov’s recent interview with Belarusian state media, where he indicated that the advancement of talks hinges on the stances of both Kyiv and Washington, as well as the situation on the battlefield.

“A significant amount depends, of course, on the position of the Kyiv regime,» Peskov reportedly said. «It also relies on the effectiveness of Washington’s mediating actions.»

Peskov expressed gratitude on Tuesday to the Trump administration for its facilitation of discussions with Ukraine. He noted that deciding on a date for the third round of talks is the «next step,» following the establishment of earlier humanitarian agreements.

Russia and Ukraine had previously convened in Istanbul on May 16, where they consented to exchange 1,000 prisoners each, and again on June 2, agreeing to another prisoner swap and the exchange of around 6,000 remains of deceased soldiers.

However, those discussions did not lead to meaningful progress toward establishing a ceasefire.

President Vladimir Putin, who has spurned calls for an immediate truce and intensified air assaults in recent weeks, stated on Friday that talks are continuing despite the “completely contradictory” demands for peace from both Russia and Ukraine.