By Dmitry Antonov, Andrew Osborn
MOSCOW (Reuters) -The Kremlin said on Monday it was too early to discuss a potential four-way peace talks format proposed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and restated its concerns about his electoral mandate.
Zelenskiy told the Associated Press news agency in an interview published on Saturday that he favoured four-way talks between the United States, Ukraine, Russia and the European Union and said it would be “very dangerous” for Washington and Moscow to hold talks about ending the war in his country that did not involve Kyiv.
His comments followed remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump suggesting Washington and Moscow had already been in touch about Ukraine. Trump did not provide details, and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov was cited by the Interfax news agency on Jan. 27 as saying that direct contacts between Moscow and the Trump administration were not yet underway.
Asked on Monday about Zelenskiy’s thoughts on the format of future talks, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters: “So far, no one has discussed in any serious way a possible combination of participants in the negotiations.”
“So far, we are proceeding from the assumption that the Ukrainian president does not have the right to hold such talks,” he said.
Moscow has long said the fact that Zelenskiy was not re-elected last year when his five-year term expired – due to martial law being in force – means he would not have the legal authority to sign a peace deal. Kyiv rejects that stance as a disingenuous ploy designed to complicate negotiations.
Peskov said it was also difficult to discuss the possible format of any talks when a 2022 decree signed by Zelenskiy remains in force banning talks with Russia for as long as President Vladimir Putin is in charge. Moscow says the decree must be revoked.
“Discussing the possible composition of participants (of peace talks) while the decree remains in force is probably getting ahead of ourselves,” Peskov said.
Putin and Trump have yet to speak by phone since Trump’s inauguration. When asked about the issue on Monday, Peskov said contacts were “apparently” planned, but that there was nothing new to say on the matter for now.
Two Russian sources with knowledge of the discussions have told Reuters that Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are seen by Russia as possible venues for a summit between the two leaders.
(Reporting by Dmitry Antonov, Writing by Andrew Osborn in London; Editing by Timothy Heritage)
