Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of deliberately prolonging the war following a tense meeting between Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on February 28.
“What happened on Friday in the White House certainly demonstrated how difficult it will be to enter the territory of a settlement around Ukraine. The Kyiv regime and Zelensky do not want peace, they want the war to continue,” Peskov told reporters from Interfax.
Peskov suggested that Washington and Moscow alone would not be enough to broker a deal, arguing that Ukraine itself is resisting peace efforts.
He also pointed to divisions within the West, claiming that some nations remain part of a "war party" that seeks to continue military support for Kyiv rather than pushing for negotiations.
Despite "first drafts" of peace proposals emerging, Peskov insisted that no coordinated peace plan is currently on the table.
Trump-Zelensky Clash Derails Agreement
Tensions between Zelensky and Trump reportedly boiled over during their White House meeting, leading to the cancellation of a joint press conference and the failure to sign a key minerals agreement between Ukraine and the U.S.
Moscow has framed the fallout as proof that Zelensky is unwilling to compromise, while Kyiv has remained silent on the details of the dispute.
While Peskov acknowledged ongoing U.S.-Russia talks aimed at normalizing diplomatic relations, he emphasized that Moscow remains committed to its military objectives in Ukraine.
“The Russian side continues a special military operation in order to achieve all the goals that were set from the very beginning,” he stated.
