Kremlin confirms no pause in fighting despite resumption of peace talks

The Russian government has clarified its stance on the ongoing conflict, stating that active military operations will not cease during the upcoming diplomatic sessions. This position comes as Washington moves to structure a new format for ending the war.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov addressed the media on Sunday to define the scope of the new negotiations. He stated that the decision to resume trilateral talks does not include a formal ceasefire. "The decision to resume trilateral negotiations with the participation of Russia, Ukraine and the US does not mean any halts on hostilities," Peskov said.

Moscow maintains that its forces will continue their current tactical operations throughout the negotiation period. Peskov described Russian actions as "massive and consistent strikes" on Ukrainian targets. He noted that the Ukrainian government is simultaneously continuing its own military actions, referring to the authorities in Kyiv as the "Kyiv regime."

This stance follows recent comments from Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on October 21. Lavrov argued that an immediate ceasefire would "preserve the Nazi regime" and "ban the Russian language." These remarks reflect the Kremlin's preference for negotiating from a position of continued military pressure rather than a frozen conflict.

The diplomatic push is driven by US House Speaker Mike Johnson, who announced on October 26 that Washington is planning trilateral talks aimed at ending the war. Prior to this, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on October 24 that Ukraine is prepared for a deal that freezes the war along the current line of contact. Zelenskyy added that Ukraine will not recognize temporarily occupied territory as Russian land.

Russian President Vladimir Putin indicated in early October that he was ready to resume talks on terms acceptable to Moscow. Those terms include the occupation of the entire Donbas region and Ukraine's neutral status. The three parties will now proceed with discussions while the front line remains active.