Kremlin: No Conditions for Peace Talks, Zelensky Invited to Moscow Again

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated on September 23 that there are no prerequisites for moving toward peace negotiations to end Russia's war against Ukraine. At the same time, he repeated Moscow's standing invitation for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to travel to the Russian capital for talks.

Russia's position

Peskov's statement was reported by Russian state agency Interfax. He said bluntly: 'There are currently no conditions for moving toward the peace track of negotiations.' The Kremlin has maintained this stance for months, refusing to engage in direct peace talks while continuing offensive military operations in Ukraine.

The Moscow invitation

The suggestion that Zelensky visit Moscow is a recurring Russian talking point that Kyiv has consistently dismissed. Ukraine has insisted that meaningful negotiations can only take place after Russia withdraws its forces from occupied Ukrainian territories and respects Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Context

The statement came on the same day that Russia launched a new wave of drone attacks against Kyiv, killing two civilians. International diplomatic efforts to broker a ceasefire remain stalled, with no major powers having successfully brought both sides to the negotiating table.