Rome, 20 July (LaPresse/AP) – Russia is open to peace with Ukraine, but achieving ‘our objectives’ remains a priority. This was stated by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. "The main thing for us is to achieve our objectives. Our goals are clear," he added. The Kremlin has insisted that any peace agreement must include Ukraine's withdrawal from the four regions that Russia illegally annexed in September 2022 but never fully conquered. It also wants Ukraine to renounce its bid to join NATO and accept strict limits on its armed forces, demands rejected by Kiev and its Western allies. US President Donald Trump threatened Russia on 14 July with ‘severe tariffs’ if a peace deal was not reached within 50 days, and announced an upgrade to the US arms delivery channel to Ukraine, hardening his stance towards Moscow after months of frustration over fruitless negotiations aimed at ending the war. ‘President Putin has repeatedly expressed his desire to reach a peaceful conclusion to the Ukrainian issue as soon as possible. This is a long process that requires commitment and is not easy,’ Peskov said.
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