Putin won’t initiate talks with European leaders – Kremlin

President Vladimir Putin is prepared for negotiations with everyone, including European leaders, but will not initiate such, the Kremlin declared on Friday.

Moscow responded to a Reuters question on a Financial ‌Times report that European Union leaders were preparing for potential talks regarding the war with Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the Russian premier has repeatedly expressed his willingness to “negotiate with everyone.” 

“However, as Putin has repeatedly stated, we will not initiate such contacts after the position ‌taken by ⁠the Europeans,” Peskov stressed.

The president’s spokesperson recalled that European governments cut contact with Moscow in 2022 after the start of the war with Ukraine.

Peskov said “Brussels and individual European capitals” initiated the complete cessation of ⁠Russia’s relations with the EU, not the Russian side. 

The Prime Minister of Slovakia, Robert Fico, recently criticized European leaders for avoiding dialogue with Putin, but have interest in the details of his conversation with him.

Russia, meanwhile, is set to commemorate its Victory Day on May 9. The country’s most significant national holiday marks the Soviet Union’s defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II.  

Some heads of state are in Moscow for the celebrations. They include the President of Abkhazia Badra Gunba, the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, and the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

Others are the Supreme Ruler of Malaysia, Sultan Ibrahim, the Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico, the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and the President of South Ossetia Alan Gagloyev.