The key facts
- Peskov: settling the conflict without Kyiv's participation is impossible; someone in Kyiv must make a responsible decision
- Trump suggested a settlement without Zelensky, believing he is not interested in ending the hostilities
- On October 20 in Oslo, Zelensky met with Witkoff and European representatives; the Kremlin did not rule out talks between Putin and Witkoff and Kushner
Peskov on the need for Kyiv's participation
Fully settling the Ukrainian conflict without the participation of Kyiv's representatives is impossible, said Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov in a comment to Kremlin pool journalist Alexander Yunashev. According to him, the Ukrainian side will in any case have to make the responsible decision needed to end the confrontation. “Of course, it is impossible to fully settle the Ukrainian problem without the presence of someone from Kyiv. Therefore, someone in Kyiv must make a responsible decision. This is mandatory,” the Kremlin spokesman explained. The comment came in response to Donald Trump's words about the possibility of achieving peace without Volodymyr Zelensky.
Trump's position
Earlier, US President Donald Trump suggested a settlement of the conflict without Zelensky's participation. He expressed confidence that a peace agreement would ultimately be reached, but in his view, the current Ukrainian leader is not interested in ending the hostilities.
Talks in Oslo and possible next steps
On October 20 in Oslo, Zelensky held talks with Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff, with representatives of European countries also joining the consultations. The parties discussed possible terms of a peace agreement and security guarantees for Ukraine. After the meeting, Zelensky said Kyiv had prepared settlement proposals that were planned to be handed to Moscow. The Kremlin, in turn, did not rule out upcoming talks between Vladimir Putin and Witkoff and Jared Kushner, but the exact date and venue of the meeting had not been announced at that time.
