The Kremlin said on Monday that the issue of territory remained fundamental to Russia when seeking a deal to end the fighting in Ukraine, TASS reported after the weekend talks in Abu Dhabi.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly said Russia will take all of Ukraine’s Donbas region unless Kyiv agrees to cede it in a settlement.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated the position, saying “the territorial issue, which is part of the Anchorage formula, is of fundamental importance to the Russian side.”
He added: “It’s no secret that this is our consistent position, the position of our president.”
The Anchorage formula refers to what Russia says was agreed between U.S. President Donald Trump and Putin during a summit in Alaska last August.
A source close to the Kremlin has said the understanding envisages Ukraine handing Russia full control of Donbas and freezing the front lines elsewhere in the east and south as part of any future agreement.
Kyiv has consistently rejected any settlement involving territorial concessions, saying it will not give Russia territory it has failed to capture by force.
Peskov said Moscow viewed the opening exchanges in Abu Dhabi as constructive but warned against expecting quick progress. “It would be a mistake to expect any significant results,” he said.
“This is a very complex matter, with complex issues on the agenda.” He noted that the talks remain at an expert level and are still in their initial stages.
He confirmed that trilateral contacts will continue next week, though a specific date has not yet been finalised.
Peskov said no phone call between Putin and Trump is currently scheduled but noted that high-level contacts can be arranged rapidly if needed.
On regional developments, he warned that a U.S. strike on Iran “would seriously destabilise the Middle East” and called for restraint.
Peskov also said Russia remains in “constant contact” with Venezuela on ongoing projects and investments, while describing reports of a potential U.S. blockade of Cuba as “alarming.”
Ukraine has maintained that no settlement can involve giving up territory, a position it repeated after the Abu Dhabi talks.
Kyiv stressed that it will not transfer land Russia has failed to seize by force, a stance underscored in public statements on 25 January.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine’s territorial integrity remains non-negotiable and noted that any future framework must respect the country’s internationally recognised borders.
He added that concessions on land would undermine the entire basis of a durable agreement.
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NATO member Romania reported on Friday that a Russian drone injured two people in the southeastern city of Galati during an overnight attack on neighbouring Ukraine. The incident marks the first time in the war that a drone has struck a densely populated area in Romania and caused injuries.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 29 May, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Russia and Kazakhstan signed 15 agreements during President Vladimir Putin’s state visit to Astana on Thursday (28 May), including deals on Kazakhstan’s first nuclear power plant and expanded oil cooperation with Russia.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said she discussed Ukraine’s path to European Union membership with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as Brussels signals key weeks ahead for accession talks.
The U.S. and Iran have reportedly reached a preliminary 60-day ceasefire and nuclear talks deal, pending Donald Trump’s approval, Axios reports. Meanwhile, the GCC condemned Iran’s missile strike on a U.S. airbase in Kuwait, which Tehran said was retaliation for a U.S. strike near Bandar Abbas.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says ongoing conflict, funding pressures and international travel restrictions are complicating efforts to contain a fast-growing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Bolivia’s President Rodrigo Paz has taken steps towards potentially declaring a state of emergency as anti-government protests intensify in the early months of his administration.
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Kazakhstan on Wednesday for a three-day state visit focused on energy, transport and economic cooperation with one of Moscow’s closest regional partners.
Muslims around the world have marked Eid al-Adha with prayers, celebrations and acts of charity, though for many Palestinians the holiday unfolded amid conflict, restrictions and loss.
Kenyan authorities have arrested eight students on suspicion of arson following a fire at a girls’ boarding school that killed 16, according to the country’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations. The blaze, which happened in Kenya's Rift Valley, also injured dozens of students.
The British government has unveiled 300,000 new work experience and training placements for young people after a major review warned that rising youth unemployment could leave more young people disconnected from work, education and training.
Billions of dollars' worth of gold continue to be extracted illegally from Brazil’s Amazon rainforest, according to a Greenpeace study, despite President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s pledges to curb wildcat mining.
Soaring temperatures across Europe have broken records in Portugal and sparked heat alerts in Italy and France, affecting events including the French Open tennis tournament.
NATO member Romania reported on Friday that a Russian drone injured two people in the southeastern city of Galati during an overnight attack on neighbouring Ukraine. The incident marks the first time in the war that a drone has struck a densely populated area in Romania and caused injuries.
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