Putin's Spokesperson Says Summit With Ukraine's Zelenskyy Hopeless

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th October, 2021) Prospects of a Russian-Ukrainian summit are dim because Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy is flouting his obligations under the peace pact, Vladimir Putin's spokesperson said Sunday.

"There are currently no particular prospects for this conversation because of the Ukrainian government's actions. The Ukrainian authorities are not delivering on the Minsk agreements," Dmitry Peskov told a television show.

He said Ukraine breached the peace deal with rebels in the breakaway eastern regions when the government approved a bill that outlined a path for Donetsk and Luhansk's reintegration, subverting the Minsk accords.

"It is very hard to talk to Zelenskyy. Mr. Zelenskyy keeps calling Russia a party to the conflict in southeastern Ukraine. It is not true," Peskov added.

He said that a Normandy format meeting of Russian, Ukrainian, German and French leaders required the negotiators to first "do their homework and lay the groundwork." A ministerial meeting could sound the ground for a four-way summit, Peskov suggested.