Russia Denies Report of Ukraine Attack Derailing Talks on Ceasefire Agreement
Moscow has denied reports that Ukraine’s attack on the Kursk region has disrupted negotiations with Kyiv regarding halting strikes on energy and power targets. According to The Washington Post, both countries were supposed to send delegations to Qatar to discuss a ceasefire agreement, but talks were reportedly derailed due to the attack on Russian territory.
Russia’s foreign ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, stated that there were no discussions with Kyiv about the safety of civilian infrastructure facilities. Ukraine has not yet responded to these claims. The summit in Doha, which was scheduled for this month, has been postponed and will now take place via video conference on Aug. 22.
Both Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of targeting civilian infrastructure during the ongoing conflict, although they deny these allegations. President Vladimir Putin questioned the possibility of negotiations with Ukraine following the recent attack and alleged strikes on Russian civilian facilities.
Since Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine in February 2022, tensions between the two countries have escalated. Ukraine’s incursion into the Kursk region on Aug. 6 marked the first direct military action on Russian soil since World War Two.
