Russia 'cannot be forced to peace' as Zelenskyy wants: Kremlin

MOSCOW

Russia cannot be "forced into peace" the way Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wants, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday.

Zelenskyy's unwillingness to make agreements is a " fatal mistake," Peskov said about the Ukrainian president’s address to the UN Security Council on Monday where he said the Russia-Ukraine war cannot be stopped by talks and "what is needed -- to force Russia into peace."

"Russia is a supporter of peace. But with the condition of ensuring the basics of its security and fulfilling the tasks that a special military operation faces," he said.

"From my point of view, such a position (unwillingness to make agreements) is a fatal mistake, a systemic error. This is a profound misconception, which will have consequences for the Kyiv regime," he added

Peskov categorically rejected Zelenskyy's accusations about Russia's alleged violation of the UN Charter, arguing that it acts in "strict accordance with international law."

"Russia categorically opposes the use of double standards in the interpretation of international law, for which Britain and the US are famous," he said.

Regarding the situation around Ukraine's city of Vuhledar, where fierce clashes have recently been taking place, Peskov marked it as "a positive trend" for Russia.

As for the grain deal on the export of Ukrainian food via the Black Sea, Peskov stated the absence of dialogue for its resumption, noting that the agreement was terminated because third parties neglected their duties, in the part, concerning Russia.

Türkiye first hosted a meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian foreign ministers in the Mediterranean city of Antalya in March 2022.

Those efforts led to the landmark Black Sea grain deal in 2022, but Moscow did not extend the agreement after July 2023, citing restrictions on Russian grain exports.

Asked about China's test of an intercontinental ballistic missile, Peskov said Beijing is developing its armed forces and "has every right to test missiles."

"China is developing its military, we respect it, and, in contacts between our two countries, including through the defense departments, exchange of the necessary information," he said.

The Chinese Defense Ministry said earlier that it carried out a test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile, which landed on a designated point in the Pacific Ocean.

Regional states were informed about the test in advance, according to Beijing.