Zelenskyy's Remarks Do Not Offend Putin, Only Cause Regret - Kremlin

PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKIY (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 26th September, 2021) KAMCHATSKIY, Russia, September 26 (Sputnik) - Russian President Vladimir Putin is unperturbed by personal remarks made by his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and his subordinates, as these verbal attacks could only cause regret, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Sunday.

"No, Putin is not offended by that. Rather, it could only provoke regret," Peskov said during a televised appearance on state broadcaster Rossiya 1.

The official also commented on a possibility for the two presidents to hold a meeting.

"Common sense dictates that contacts between the two presidents are necessary. But reality tells (us) that contacts are very unlikely as long as Kiev keeps this attitude," Peskov added.

Speaking of the Donbas conflict, the spokesman pushed back against the claim that it is being waged between Ukraine and Russia.

"In the end, it is an internal Ukrainian conflict. And, of course, it can be resolved only when the Ukrainians there (in Kiev) and there (in Donbas) start talking to each other," he explained.

In April 2014, the Ukrainian authorities launched a military operation against the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic and its neighboring Luhansk People's Republic after they proclaimed independence from Ukraine and refused to recognize the new central government, which came to power after what they considered to be a coup. The resolution of the conflict has been discussed in various formats, including through the so-called Normandy Group involving Russia, France, Germany, and Ukraine.