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MOSCOW – The Kremlin announced an “indefinite pause” in peace talks with Ukraine on Friday, citing a lack of substantial progress and accusing kyiv of adopting a “contradictory and inflexible” stance at the negotiating table. The decision marks a further setback in international efforts to reach a ceasefire and stabilize the region after more than two years of war.

Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov explained that the suspension is due to the impossibility of “making progress in constructive dialogue” while Ukraine maintains its demands for a full withdrawal of Russian troops and the restoration of internationally recognized borders. Moscow insists that these conditions are “unrealistic” and that kyiv should recognize the new “territorial realities” created by the conflict.

The pause in negotiations comes at a time of escalating fighting in eastern Ukraine, where Russian forces have intensified their operations around Donetsk and Luhansk, while Ukraine continues counteroffensives in the south with support from Western weapons. The military escalation coincides with a renewed aid package approved by the United States and the European Union, which Moscow has interpreted as an attempt to prolong the conflict.

Diplomatic sources in Brussels and Washington expressed concern about the Kremlin's announcement, noting that the suspension could erode any possibility of a ceasefire in the short term. The UN and Turkey, which have acted as mediators in the past, have reiterated their willingness to resume contacts, although they acknowledge that the political environment is increasingly less favorable.

Meanwhile, civilians in combat zones continue to be the most affected. Humanitarian organizations have warned that diplomatic paralysis could worsen the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, where millions of people depend on international aid to survive.