Moscow says preparations for November talks with the US and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi do not entail a ceasefire, rejecting any pause that would allow Kiev to regroup
The Kremlin has ruled out suspending military operations ahead of planned trilateral talks with the US and Ukraine, saying Moscow opposes a ceasefire that would give Kiev a "respite."
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said preparations for the talks, scheduled for November in Abu Dhabi, did not entail a pause in fighting.
"We have stated repeatedly that we are opposed to a ceasefire that would provide a respite for the Ukrainians," Peskov said, according to Russia’s state-run TASS news agency.
Asked whether European countries would participate, Peskov said their involvement could become necessary later, but no substantive discussions had taken place.
"At some stage, yes, the involvement of Europeans will be required, but so far no one has discussed this in any concrete terms," he said.
Peskov also said Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries would not jeopardise the planned negotiations.
Moscow did not intend to raise the issue at the Abu Dhabi meeting, he added, describing it as a matter for Washington and Kiev to discuss.
EU ready to participate
Meanwhile, the European Union said on Friday it was ready to participate in negotiations to end the war.
"We are prepared, and we have been preparing for a long time, and we are just looking forward to the moment where indeed Russia will be ready to engage in real discussions and in real terms to put an end to this war," European Commission spokesperson Paula Pinho told reporters in Brussels.
Her remarks followed recent phone calls between the leaders of Finland and Norway and Russian President Vladimir Putin, which have renewed attention on diplomatic efforts to end the war, which began in February 2022.
Intensifying strikes
Moscow and Kiev have intensified strikes in recent months, targeting each other’s logistics centres, ports and energy infrastructure. Both deny deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure, saying their attacks are aimed at military targets or facilities supporting military operations.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday that Ukraine had informally suspended attacks on Russian oil refineries amid mounting pressure from US President Donald Trump and uncertainty over continued US support for Kiev.
The unofficial pause reportedly began early last week and was expected to last until after the US midterm elections, potentially extending further into November. Ukraine has not officially announced a halt.
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