Kremlin denies US claims that Russia is stalling in Ukraine peace talks

PHOTO CAPTION: Illustrative photo — Pro-Russian troops ride an armored personnel carrier on the outskirts of Mariupol, Ukraine during Russo-Ukraine war, April 12, 2022. REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko

MOSCOW  -  The Kremlin on Tuesday denied claims by U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy for Ukraine that Russia was stalling in peace talks, adding that Moscow had fulfilled all the agreements reached so far in the negotiations.

Trump's senior envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, said on Monday that "Russia cannot continue to stall for time while it bombs civilian targets in Ukraine."

Asked about the remarks, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia was grateful to Trump's team for helping to facilitate talks but that Moscow was not stalling the talks.

"No one is delaying anything here," Peskov told reporters in Moscow.  

"We are naturally in favor of achieving the goals that we are trying to achieve through the special military operation via political and diplomatic means. Therefore, we are not interested in drawing out anything."

Peskov noted that the dates of the third round of talks still needed to be agreed. 

 (Reporting by Dmitry Antonov; Writing by Gleb Stolyarov; Editing by Guy Faulconbridge // REUTERS)