Kremlin says peace talks should continue, lashes “hostile” Ukraine

🗞️ Subscribe Now: Get Express Premium to access the best Election reporting and analysis 🗞️

“The main thing is that the talks continue, either in Istanbul or somewhere else,” said Peskov, adding that the negotiations were “not easy”.

Russia would like to continue talks in neighbouring Belarus but Kyiv opposed the idea, he said. Peskov said Moscow had launched the invasion to “save” two eastern regions seized by Russian-backed separatists in 2014 and said he trusted that the Russian language would be restored to its rightful place in the country.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Russia’s “special operation” in Ukraine was needed “to protect people who have been subjected to bullying and genocide”. By this meant those whose first or only language is Russian.

Ukraine dismisses as invented the accusations of genocide.