Kremlin says topic of negotiations with Ukraine ‘lost its relevance’

ISTANBUL

The Kremlin said on Monday that the topic of negotiations with Ukraine has “lost its relevance.”

“You know that the topic of negotiations at the moment has lost its relevance considerably. There are many reports about various contacts in the media, and not all of them are, in fact, truthful,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in a press briefing.

Peskov’s remarks came in response to a question on whether there were any talks between Russia and Ukraine before the start of Kyiv’s “operation” in the border region of Kursk.

Kyiv's "operation" into the Kursk region began on the night of Aug. 5-6, when Ukrainian forces entered the town of Sudzha, about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) from the border.

Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine of carrying out a "large-scale provocation" and "indiscriminate shooting," describing the incursion as a "terrorist attack."

Days later, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy admitted that it was an "operation" by Ukrainian troops aimed to create a "buffer zone" against Russian attacks.

Peskov said that Russia will respond to the ongoing clashes in the Kursk region.

Telegram founder's detention

Commenting on Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov’s detention in France, Peskov said: “Before saying anything, we need to wait for the situation to become clearer, what exactly they are trying to incriminate Durov with. Without that, it would probably be wrong to make any statements."

He further said Moscow does not yet know what exactly Durov is accused of.

“Let's wait until the charges are announced, if they are announced, if it comes to that. After that, we can draw some preliminary conclusions,” Peskov added.

He also denied that Durov held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin during the latter’s two-day visit to Azerbaijan on Aug. 18-19.

Durov was arrested on Saturday as he alighted from his private jet at Bourget Airport in Paris, according to French media outlets.

The 39-year-old Franco-Russian, who was listed as a wanted person in France, had just arrived from Azerbaijan and has since been subject to a French search warrant issued by the French National Judicial Police, following a preliminary investigation.

The investigation was focused on a lack of moderation on Telegram, which police considered allowed criminal activity to go on undeterred on the messaging app.