The key facts
- Peskov named two options for ending the special military operation: continuation of the operation or a negotiated settlement
- He linked the peaceful path to the need for political will in Kyiv
- A meeting of delegations from Russia, Ukraine and the US in Abu Dhabi is scheduled for November 10–11
Two scenarios from the Kremlin
Press secretary of the Russian president Dmitry Peskov told journalists that Moscow's interests regarding Ukraine will be secured by one of two paths: the continuation of the special military operation or a peaceful resolution through negotiations. The second option is preferable for the Kremlin, but, according to Peskov, achieving it through diplomatic means has so far not been possible, which is the reason the special military operation continues. This is reported by Life.ru.
The condition for the peaceful option — political responsibility in Kyiv
Peskov named the key condition for the peaceful scenario as the emergence in Kyiv of a figure ready to take on political responsibility for a settlement. He emphasized that this requires political will from the Ukrainian side. The Kremlin spokesman made a similar statement back in October: at that time he also said that a final settlement requires a representative of Kyiv ready to answer for the decision. Thus, Moscow's position has not changed over the past month.
Context: talks in Abu Dhabi
The statement came against the backdrop of preparations for new talks on Ukraine: a meeting of delegations from Russia, Ukraine and the United States is scheduled for November 10–11 in Abu Dhabi. The Russian side will be represented by a delegation led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky. According to Life.ru, the main topic of the talks will be security guarantees; before that, the EU, the US and NATO plan to meet in Brussels. It remains unclear whether the person Peskov described as capable of taking responsibility for a peaceful resolution will appear in Kyiv — this will determine which of the two named scenarios will be realized.
