Moscow: Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday that the European Union's plans to accelerate the phase-out of Russian energy supplies and goods 'will not affect Russia's policy or force it to change its position on Ukraine.' Peskov clarified in a statement that Moscow is closely following the statements made by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who announced Tuesday that she discussed with US President Donald Trump ways to enhance joint efforts to increase economic pressure on Russia by phasing out Russian fossil fuel imports.
According to Kuwait News Agency, Peskov added that the EU's 18th package of sanctions has harmed the economies of European countries themselves, calling for UN Security Council reform based on consensus among the permanent member states, which is currently impossible due to ongoing disagreements.
Regarding the ongoing negotiations between Moscow and Kiev, Peskov pointed out that there is a temporary halt in preparing new prisoner exchange operations, emphasizing that this "does not mean that it is impossible for them to continue in the future." He confirmed that communications between Russia and the US "are still ongoing through various channels" despite existing tensions in bilateral relations.