ISTANBUL
Russia on Monday accused Ukraine of carrying out a drone strike on a passenger train in Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014, saying the attack killed one person, injured another and “significantly complicates” efforts to reach a peace settlement.
Speaking at a briefing, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia remains open to a peaceful settlement, while claiming Ukraine is “doing everything to slow down this process.”
Ukraine has not commented on the Russian allegations, and the claims could not be independently verified due to the ongoing war.
Commenting on a joint statement by Britain, France and Germany outlining conditions for a peace settlement in Ukraine, Peskov said it was difficult to envision negotiations with Kyiv under the “current circumstances.”
He said the Kremlin’s position had already been outlined by Russian President Vladimir Putin during last week’s St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, where Putin criticized what Moscow describes as Ukrainian attacks on civilian targets.
Peskov also accused British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz of inconsistency for calling for peace while supporting Ukraine’s military production.
The leaders of Britain, France and Germany held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in London on Sunday, reaffirming their “unwavering support for Ukraine” and discussing the “next steps in negotiations to support a just and lasting peace.”
In a joint statement, they called on Putin to agree to an immediate and complete ceasefire, stressing that Ukraine must have “robust and legally binding security guarantees” once a ceasefire takes effect. They said the guarantees would build on commitments made in Berlin in December 2025 and Paris in January 2026, including the deployment of a multinational force.
The statement also said Russian assets would remain frozen until Russia ends its war and compensates Ukraine for damage caused by the conflict.
Separately, Peskov said NATO military exercises in Finland and Norway are being closely monitored by the Russian Defense Ministry.
“The approach of NATO military infrastructure toward our borders has been ongoing for several decades,” he said, adding that Russia is taking the necessary measures to ensure its security.
