"There is little chance of reaching an agreement"/ Kremlin dashes hopes for peace in Ukraine over Christmas

2025-12-21 13:25:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

"There is little chance of reaching an agreement"/ Kremlin dashes

A senior Kremlin official has downplayed the chances of major progress in peace talks in Ukraine, as talks between US and Russian envoys continue for a second day.

Yuri Ushakov, Russian President Vladimir Putin's foreign policy adviser, told reporters in Moscow on December 21 that chief negotiator Kirill Dmitriev would simply return to Russia and submit a report.

"Americans are celebrating Christmas these days. There won't be many people working," he said.

Ushakov also rejected the statement by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that Washington had proposed trilateral talks.

"So far, no one has seriously discussed this initiative and, as far as I know, it is not being worked on," he said, adding that Dmitriev is only holding talks with American officials.

No Putin-Trump phone call

The talks in Florida come after a week of intense diplomatic activity, where US representatives have met with European and Ukrainian officials.

In November, Trump began pressuring Kiev to accept a 28-point proposal that critics said was pro-Russian. Ukraine and its European backers rushed to make changes to protect Ukrainian interests in the territory, security guarantees for Kiev and other issues, with reports suggesting the plan now includes 20 points and includes more of Kiev's interests.

"I am sure that the proposals that the Europeans and Ukrainians have made or are trying to make definitely do not improve the document and do not increase the chance of achieving long-term peace ," Ushakov said.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on December 21 that there are no plans for a phone conversation between Putin and US President Donald Trump, "but it could be organized quickly if necessary."

He added that Putin will meet with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, a key ally who has been seen as a potential channel for communication with Washington, during diplomatic meetings in St. Petersburg on December 21-22.

Peskov also said that Putin will hold meetings with the leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan during these events.

On December 20, after the first day of talks in Florida, Dmitriev declared that Russia and the US were holding "constructive" talks.

All parties involved in the US-brokered peace process have regularly mentioned "progress" or made similar assessments, without providing details.

The White House has not commented on the talks, although Reuters, citing an unidentified US official, reported that the talks had concluded for the day.

US envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner are believed to be representing Washington. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had earlier said he might attend the weekend talks, but no details were given.

The discussions in the US are the latest step in Trump's efforts to end Russia's war against Ukraine, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives and is approaching its fourth year.

Ahead of the talks in Florida, Rubio insisted that Washington would not force either side to accept a deal.

"We can't force Ukraine to make a deal. We can't force Russia to make a deal. They have to want to make a deal themselves," he said.

"I think we've made progress [in the process], but we still have a ways to go. And, of course, the hardest issues are always the last ones ," the top US diplomat added.

The details of the plans being worked out remain unclear, but the general framework envisages Ukraine making territorial concessions in exchange for security guarantees.

The latest statements come after another week of heightened diplomatic and military activity, as Russia continues to strike civilian, infrastructure and military targets in Ukraine, while Kiev struggles to defend its eastern ground and retaliates with attacks on what it says are targets of military importance inside Russia.

During the week, US envoys held talks with European and Ukrainian officials, and a European Union summit approved a $106 billion loan for Kiev, while Russian President Vladimir Putin held a four-and-a-half-hour press conference, repeating his demands, along with disputed claims of progress on the battlefield. /REL