UPDATE 4 – Kremlin says upcoming Ukraine peace talks in Geneva to exclude European representatives

UPDATES WITH CLARIFICATION ON PARTICIPANTS, CHANGES HEADLINE, DECK

By Alperen Aktas and Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - The Kremlin clarified on Friday that the upcoming round of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in Geneva, Switzerland, will be held strictly in a trilateral format, excluding any European representatives.

"No, it's only a trilateral format, meaning Russia, America, and Ukraine. There won't be any Europeans there," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in a briefing, dismissing the possibility of involvement of the EU or international organizations.

The talks, scheduled for Feb. 17-18, were previously confirmed by Peskov as the next step in a mediation process facilitated by Washington.

He added that Russia's delegation at the upcoming talks will be led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky.

Earlier on Friday, Peskov confirmed that an agreement was reached to hold the next round of peace talks "next week," but gave no further details.

Russia and Ukraine held two rounds of US-mediated peace talks in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, in January and earlier this month. As a result, they agreed to the first exchange of war prisoners in five months.

Discussions on a new round of negotiations have ensued since the latest talks on Feb. 4-5, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying they are expected to take place on Feb. 17-18, in remarks to Bloomberg News published on Wednesday.

US authorities have yet to comment on Peskov's remarks, though Zelenskyy's communications advisor Dmytro Lytvyn also confirmed the date and location of the talks in remarks to Ukrainian media outlets, including state news agency Ukrinform.

In a later statement on US social media company Facebook, Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov said Kyiv's delegation has already begun preparations for the meeting.

He said the team, besides himself, will include the head of the presidential office, Kyrylo Budanov, and Chief of the General Staff Andrii Hnatov. The team has been formed "taking into account the military, political, and security components of the process," he added.

"We will work on substantive decisions within the framework defined by the head of state. The goal remains unchanged – a sustainable and lasting peace. We are preparing for serious and responsible work," he added.

- Russia-US economic cooperation

Peskov also commented on a separate Bloomberg News report, saying Russia is proposing economic cooperation with the US and that companies from both countries are interested.

However, he said, it is unlikely that anything concrete can be discussed towards expanding Russian-American economic cooperation until a resolution is reached over Ukraine.

Citing a high-level Russian memo, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday that Moscow set out proposals to Washington for a wide-ranging economic partnership and that several points were detailed where Russian and US economic interests could converge, including joint investments in natural gas and critical raw materials.

According to the media outlet, the document, drafted earlier this year, centers on Russia's return to the dollar settlement system.

Speaking about the issue, Peskov said Russia has never abandoned the use of the dollar. "It's the issuing country, the US, that has restricted the use of the dollar by a number of countries."

"If the dollar is attractive, then, of course, everyone will return to using it, including alongside other currencies," Peskov said, adding that, at the same time, the dollar will have to seriously compete with alternatives.

Commenting on Gaza, he said Russia has yet to determine its position concerning US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace.

On Jan. 22, representatives of 19 countries signed the Charter of the Board of Peace on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

The Board of Peace was established within the framework of efforts toward a peaceful settlement in the Gaza Strip, and seeks peacemaking around the world. Washington has said additional states have since joined the initiative.

Its first meeting is scheduled for Feb. 19 in Washington, DC, at the leaders' level, with Peskov ruling out Moscow's participation in remarks earlier this week.