The key facts

  • Peskov called Ukraine 'already a different country' in a geographic sense, responding to Trump's statement.
  • The talks in Abu Dhabi will remain trilateral in the coming days: Russia, Ukraine and US mediation.
  • On a possible meeting of the presidents of Russia, the US and China in Shenzhen, the sides are exchanging proposals on the agenda.

Kremlin statement on Ukraine's 'geography'

Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov said at a briefing in Moscow that Ukraine is 'already a different country' in a geographic sense, citing 'realities on the ground.' He was responding to US President Donald Trump's remark that, after negotiations aimed at ending the conflict with Russia, Ukraine would have 'a somewhat different form.' 'As for the form of Ukraine, from a geographic point of view it is already a different country. The realities on the ground are obvious, and hardly anyone can deny them,' Peskov is quoted as saying by the Anadolu agency.

Format of the Abu Dhabi talks

Responding to reports that European representatives might join the talks scheduled in Abu Dhabi in the coming days, Peskov stressed that the talks will remain trilateral — involving Russia and Ukraine with US mediation. According to him, the Americans have their own channels of communication with the Europeans, and the Ukrainians have theirs, and they 'apparently are building their own coordination mechanism,' but what is at issue is precisely the trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi.

Other topics at the briefing

Touching on a possible meeting of the presidents of Russia, the US and China in Shenzhen, Peskov said the sides are exchanging proposals on a possible agenda; he did not confirm that 'denuclearization' would be discussed, noting only that the range of topics could be 'very diverse.' Responding to US special envoy Jared Kushner's proposal to use the Russia–NATO Council as a platform for discussing security measures, Peskov declined to go into details: 'We will not discuss any models publicly.' He also said the Kremlin has no information about a report that Vadim Smagin, owner of the Altai-based company Bochkari, had asked for temporary management of Coca-Cola's Russian assets. Commenting on Novaya Gazeta's announcement of a complete shutdown and the closure of its Moscow newsroom from November 9, Peskov rejected the thesis of the end of independent media in Russia, describing the country's media landscape as diverse and competitive, and the closure and emergence of outlets as 'an ordinary rotation process.'