**Kremlin Denies Stalling in Ukraine Peace Talks**
The Kremlin has pushed back against claims by a top US official that Russia is delaying peace talks with Ukraine. On Tuesday, Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin’s spokesperson, said that Moscow had fulfilled all its commitments so far in the negotiations.
This comes after Keith Kellogg, the special envoy for Ukraine under former President Donald Trump, accused Russia of “stalling for time” while carrying out airstrikes on civilian targets in Ukraine. But Peskov rejected this claim, saying that Russia is committed to finding a peaceful solution through diplomatic means.
“We are grateful to the US team for their efforts to facilitate these talks,” Peskov said, according to Reuters. However, he added that Russia was not interested in prolonging the negotiations unnecessarily.
**No Stalling on Moscow’s Part**
Peskov emphasized that the dates of the next round of talks had yet to be agreed upon, but this did not mean that Russia was delaying the process. He maintained that Moscow was committed to finding a peaceful resolution through diplomatic means, rather than prolonging the conflict.
The Kremlin’s denial comes as tensions between Russia and the West remain high over Ukraine. While some progress has been made in recent talks, including the release of prisoners and the exchange of grain shipments, significant differences still exist on key issues like sovereignty and territorial integrity.
**Expert Analysis**
“This is not surprising,” said Dr. Maria Katskova, a Russian affairs expert at Moscow State University. “Russia has always maintained that it is committed to finding a peaceful resolution in Ukraine. The fact that the Kremlin is denying these claims suggests that Moscow feels its position on this issue is under scrutiny.”
However, Dr. Katskova noted that the lack of progress in the talks may indicate deeper divisions between Russia and the West. “The fact that we still have not seen significant movement towards a resolution may suggest that there are more fundamental differences at play here,” she said.
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