Kremlin says Ukraine must accept Russia’s goals before talks can begin

MOSCOW — The Kremlin said Saturday that any negotiations with Ukraine require Kiev to accept Moscow’s stated objectives, dismissing the prospect of freezing the conflict at this stage. Speaking to reporters, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the war cannot currently be put on hold because of the position of the Ukrainian government. He noted that Russia’s conditions were made public two years ago and added that “if the Kiev regime makes the necessary decisions, everything can be stopped by the end of today.” Peskov’s comments came in response to Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who raised the possibility of freezing the conflict during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Omsk. Tokayev’s proposal, made during the bilateral talks, prompted the Kremlin’s sharp rejection. Moscow has previously set out conditions for ending the war, including Ukraine’s withdrawal from the Donetsk and Luhansk people’s republics and the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, as well as a renunciation of NATO and other alliance membership. No further details on possible next steps were immediately available.