US Secretary of State Antony Blinken described the meeting between US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as positive. This characterization reflects the official assessment of the diplomatic engagement, though specific outcomes or agreements were not detailed in the statement.
Russia Needs Lasting Peace in Ukraine, Ceasefire Alone Won't Do – Kremlin
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https://sputnikglobe.com/20261021/russia-needs-lasting-peace-in-ukraine-not-a-ceasefire--kremlin-1124914439.html Russia Needs Lasting Peace in Ukraine, Ceasefire Alone Won't Do – Kremlin Russia Needs Lasting Peace in Ukraine, Ceasefire Alone Won't Do – Kremlin Sputnik International Russia needs peace in Ukraine, not a temporary ceasefire, and Moscow's position on the issue remains unchanged, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. 2026-10-21T07:09+0000 2026-10-21T07:09+0000 2026-10-21T07:31+0000 russia's special operation in ukraine dmitry peskov alexander stubb volodymyr zelensky ukraine kiev norwegian kremlin peace negotiations negotiating process https://cdn.imgsputnikglobe.com/img/07e9/06/02/1122174176_0:161:3071:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_a166aed0b85b87cd13113f0afde2dca2.jpg.webp "Nothing has changed. We need peace, not a ceasefire," Peskov told reporters, commenting on Moscow's position regarding a settlement of the Ukrainian conflict.Moscow will assess how constructive a contribution Finnish President Alexander Stubb can make to the Ukrainian peace process, Peskov said.According to Peskov, Stubb's participation in diplomatic contacts concerning Ukraine could be viewed positively if he makes a constructive contribution rather than simply repeating the common European position."If he can make a constructive contribution, that can be viewed positively. If not, if all he can do is repeat the common European position, then that is unlikely to constitute a constructive contribution," Peskov said, commenting on Stubb's involvement in talks with Ukraine and US negotiators.On Tuesday, multilateral talks on resolving the Ukrainian conflict concluded in Oslo, attended by Volodymyr Zelensky, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store and US presidential special envoy Steve Witkoff. US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner joined the discussions remotely.A settlement of the Ukrainian conflict is impossible without the participation of representatives from Kiev, Peskov said.Trump had previously stated that the parties to the Ukrainian conflict would eventually reach a settlement, but that it would not be negotiated with Zelensky.Commenting on whether the Kremlin shares Trump's position that the conflict could be resolved and agreements signed without Zelensky, Peskov stressed that someone in Kiev must take responsibility for the necessary decisions."It is impossible to fully resolve the Ukrainian issue without someone from Kiev being present. Therefore, someone in Kiev must make a responsible decision. That is absolutely essential," Peskov said.On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to receive US presidential special envoy Steve Witkoff for talks at the Konstantinovsky Palace in St. Petersburg. https://sputnikglobe.com/20261020/witkoff-to-fly-to-russia-on-wednesday-after-ukraine-talks-in-oslo---norways-gahr-store-1124912759.html ukraine kiev Sputnik International [email protected] +74956456601 MIA „Rossiya Segodnya“ 2026 Sputnik International [email protected] +74956456601 MIA „Rossiya Segodnya“ News en_EN https://cdn.imgsputnikglobe.com/img/07e9/06/02/1122174176_170:0:2899:2047_1920x0_80_0_0_b47375e8763d7de6d1b609396e93e6ac.jpg.webp Sputnik International [email protected] +74956456601 MIA „Rossiya Segodnya“ Sputnik International [email protected] +74956456601 MIA „Rossiya Segodnya“ dmitry peskov, alexander stubb, volodymyr zelensky, ukraine, kiev, norwegian, kremlin, peace negotiations, negotiating process, negotiations, peace process dmitry peskov, alexander stubb, volodymyr zelensky, ukraine, kiev, norwegian, kremlin, peace negotiations, negotiating process, negotiations, peace process Russia Needs Lasting Peace in Ukraine, Ceasefire Alone Won't Do – Kremlin 07:09 GMT 21.10.2026 (Updated: 07:31 GMT 21.10.2026) Russia needs peace in Ukraine, not a temporary ceasefire, and Moscow's position on the issue remains unchanged, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday. "Nothing has changed. We need peace, not a ceasefire," Peskov told reporters, commenting on Moscow's position regarding a settlement of the Ukrainian conflict. Moscow will assess how constructive a contribution Finnish President Alexander Stubb can make to the Ukrainian peace process, Peskov said. "We will see how constructive a contribution he can make," Peskov told reporters when asked about the Finnish president's involvement in the negotiations. According to Peskov, Stubb's participation in diplomatic contacts concerning Ukraine could be viewed positively if he makes a constructive contribution rather than simply repeating the common European position. "If he can make a constructive contribution, that can be viewed positively. If not, if all he can do is repeat the common European position, then that is unlikely to constitute a constructive contribution," Peskov said, commenting on Stubb's involvement in talks with Ukraine and US negotiators. On Tuesday, multilateral talks on resolving the Ukrainian conflict concluded in Oslo, attended by Volodymyr Zelensky , Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store and US presidential special envoy Steve Witkoff. US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner joined the discussions remotely. A settlement of the Ukrainian conflict is impossible without the participation of representatives from Kiev, Peskov said. "Of course, it is impossible to fully resolve the Ukrainian issue without someone from Kiev being present," he told reporters. Trump had previously stated that the parties to the Ukrainian conflict would eventually reach a settlement, but that it would not be negotiated with Zelensky. Commenting on whether the Kremlin shares Trump's position that the conflict could be resolved and agreements signed without Zelensky, Peskov stressed that someone in Kiev must take responsibility for the necessary decisions. "It is impossible to fully resolve the Ukrainian issue without someone from Kiev being present. Therefore, someone in Kiev must make a responsible decision. That is absolutely essential," Peskov said. On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to receive US presidential special envoy Steve Witkoff for talks at the Konstantinovsky Palace in St. Petersburg.
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https://sputnikglobe.com/20261021/russia-needs-lasting-peace-in-ukraine-not-a-ceasefire--kremlin-1124914439.html Russia Needs Lasting Peace in Ukraine, Ceasefire Alone Won't Do – Kremlin Russia Needs Lasting Peace in Ukraine, Ceasefire Alone Won't Do – Kremlin Sputnik Internation…
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According to Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov, recent negotiations regarding the Ukrainian conflict did not include Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and Moscow reported having no contact with him.
Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov stated that previous discussions regarding the Ukrainian conflict did not include the head of the Ukrainian government. This characterization of the Ukrainian leadership remains a point of contention, as the Ukrainian government maintains its sovereign status.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that a decision-maker in Kyiv needs to make a responsible choice. This comment was reported by media outlets, though the specific context or intended recipient of the statement was not detailed in the provided summary.