Russian negotiator Vladimir Medinsky said on Sunday that Russia was ready to resume peace talks with Ukraine, saying their suspension was due to Kyiv.
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“For our part, we are ready to continue the dialogue,” said Vladimir Medinski, Kremlin adviser in charge of negotiations with Kyiv, in an interview with Belarusian television.
“The freezing of the talks was entirely an initiative of Ukraine”, he added, believing that the “ball was in their court”.
“Russia has never refused negotiations,” he said.
Negotiations took place after Russian forces entered Ukraine on February 24 and failed to quickly take the capital.
The Russian and Ukrainian foreign ministers met in March in Turkey, then the delegations met in Istanbul, but without success.
Ukrainian negotiator Mykhaylo Podolyak said on Tuesday the talks were “suspended” as Russia refocused and relaunched its “special operation” on eastern Ukraine.