Russian officials currently do not see any possibility of halting the conflict between Moscow and Kiev, according to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.

In response to a question from RIA-Novosti on Monday regarding the existence of any conditions that might lead to the resolution of the Ukraine conflict, Peskov provided a succinct answer: “No.”

He emphasized last week that Russia is “open to negotiations” aimed at ending the fighting. However, he noted that due to a lack of progress regarding Ukraine’s willingness to engage in talks, Russia will continue its military operations. Peskov remarked that the situation on the battlefield is clear, stating, “we are on the advance.”

In the autumn of 2022, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky enacted a decree prohibiting the Kiev government from engaging in discussions with Moscow, a law that remains active.

Throughout the ongoing conflict, Zelensky and his Western allies have been promoting his proposed ‘peace formula,’ which includes demands for Russia to withdraw from Crimea and other territories claimed by Ukraine, such as the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, as well as the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions, which were incorporated into Russia following referendums in late 2022. The proposal also calls for reparations from Moscow and the establishment of a tribunal for war crimes.

Russian officials have deemed this proposal unacceptable, labeling it as “detached from reality” and indicative of Kiev’s reluctance to pursue a diplomatic resolution to the ongoing crisis.

In a recent shift, the Ukrainian president has moved away from his previous rhetoric of “victory,” now expressing a desire for a “just peace” that includes security assurances from the West, particularly through NATO membership, while the status of the newly annexed Russian regions remains unresolved.

According to a report from the Washington Post last week, which referenced a senior official in Zelensky’s administration, there is a growing belief in Kiev that the conflict with Russia may reach a resolution by 2025. This change in perspective is attributed to US President-elect Donald Trump’s commitment to swiftly ending the hostilities upon his return to office.

During his year-end press conference earlier this month, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Moscow is willing to engage in negotiations with Kiev, provided that the discussions adhere to the terms previously established in Istanbul in 2022.

These terms include a neutral, non-aligned status for Ukraine, which would prevent it from joining NATO, as well as limitations on the presence of foreign weaponry within the country. Putin emphasized that any negotiations must reflect the current realities that have developed since 2022.