Russia has rejected Ukraine's proposal for a "peace" summit, saying there cannot be a peace plan for Kyiv "that does not take into account today's realities with Russian territory," reports The New York Times.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "There can be no peace plan for Ukraine that does not take into account today's realities regarding Russian territory, with the entry of four regions into Russia. Plans that do not take these realities into account cannot be peaceful."
Russia declared Ukraine's Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions as part of its territory in September after referendums condemned by Ukraine and Western countries. Russia does not fully control any of the four regions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last month discussed a 10-point peace plan that he said would end the conflict "justly and on the basis of the U.N. charter and international law."
He has urged world leaders to hold a global peace summit based on the plan, which calls for radiation and nuclear safety; food security; energy security; the release of all prisoners and deportees, including war prisoners and children deported to Russia; restoring Ukraine's territorial integrity and Russia reaffirming it according to the U.N. charter; withdrawal of Russian troops and the cessation of hostilities; the restoration of Ukraine's state borders with Russia; justice, including the establishment of a special tribunal to prosecute Russian war crimes, the prevention of ecocide, the protection of the environment, prevention of an escalation of conflict; and building security architecture in the Euro-Atlantic space, including guarantees for Ukraine and confirmation of the war's end, including a document signed by the involved parties.
The Kremlin has repeatedly said it is open to peace talks with Ukraine but sees no willingness to negotiate on the part of Kyiv.
Information from Reuters was used in this report.
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