Kremlin says US can settle Ukraine conflict, but has failed to avail opportunity

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - The Kremlin on Friday said the US can settle the conflict in Ukraine by "giving a command" to Kyiv, but has failed to avail the opportunity.

Commenting on remarks by former US President Donald Trump at a press briefing in Moscow, spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "Mr. Trump is not far from the truth, the US president really, if he wants to put an end to this conflict, can do it very quickly, using his opportunity to actually give instructions to the Kyiv regime."

The spokesman added that the war that started last February will not be over "in a day or two," but "the key" to its end is "largely in the hands of Washington."

But instead, the president "chooses the path of further pumping Ukraine with weapons and so on," he added.

Peskov agreed with Trump's remarks that supplying Ukraine with heavy tanks and discussions about deliveries of aircraft are "an escalating factor."

After weeks of reluctance, Germany has agreed to send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine. It will also authorize other countries that have their own stocks of the tanks to export them to Kyiv.

The US, meanwhile, is also sending 31 Abrams tanks to Ukraine.

In general, the US position is "diametrically opposing" to the Russian, so there is no movement towards negotiations on Ukraine, Peskov said.

Speaking of the statement by US Under-Secretary of State Victoria Nuland, who said Washington may ease sanctions if Russia withdraws its troops from Ukraine and return ceased territories, the Russian official said: "We are not inclined to exaggerate it, nothing new was said."

The spokesman said the US accusations against Wagner group, are "groundless," and no proofs were presented about its alleged "illegal activities."

"It wasn't yesterday that we heard such statements about the demonization of the Wagner PMC from Washington for the first time. This has been going on for many years.

"No proof, no confirmation - nothing is presented to the public. This significantly devalues the meaning of the statements coming from Washington," he said.

Washington on Thursday formally designated the Wagner Group, which is involved in the Ukraine war, as a transnational criminal organization.