Russia has denied a report claiming that Ukraine’s attack on the Kursk region derailed indirect talks with Kyiv regarding a halt on strikes against energy and power infrastructure. Moscow stated that no such negotiations had taken place with Kyiv concerning civilian infrastructure.
The Washington Post reported on Saturday that delegations from Ukraine and Russia were expected to meet in Qatar this month to negotiate a significant agreement that would halt strikes on energy and power infrastructure on both sides. The report suggested that the agreement would have amounted to a partial ceasefire, but the talks were disrupted by Ukraine’s attack on Russian territory.
However, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova dismissed the report on Sunday, stating, “Nothing was called off because there was nothing to call off.” She clarified, “There have been no direct or indirect negotiations between Russia and the Kyiv regime concerning the safety of civilian critical infrastructure.”
The Ukrainian government has not yet responded to requests for comment.
According to The Washington Post, Ukraine’s presidential office indicated that the summit in Doha had been postponed due to the situation in the Middle East and would now take place via video conference on August 22.
Both Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of targeting civilian infrastructure during the conflict, though both sides deny doing so intentionally.
Zakharova also referenced Russian President Vladimir Putin, who, on August 12, questioned the possibility of talks with Ukraine following its ground attack on Russian territory and what he described as attacks on Russian civilian infrastructure. “There is nothing to discuss with people who initiate such actions,” Zakharova said.
Russia launched its “special military operation” in Ukraine in February 2022 and currently controls about 18 percent of Ukrainian territory.
Ukraine’s cross-border strike on the Kursk region on August 6 marked the first military incursion into Russian territory since World War II.
