The Washington Post reported on Saturday that the Ukrainian offensive in Russia was undermining secret efforts to broker a partial ceasefire between Kiev and Moscow.
Ukraine and Russia were to send delegations to this month Qatarto negotiate an agreement to end attacks on energy infrastructure in both countries, the American daily “Washington Post” reported. Separate talks between Qatar and both sides, which were to facilitate the negotiations, were disrupted by Ukraine's surprise invasion of the Kursk region in western Russia, it added.
“WP” recalled that Russia regularly targets the Ukrainian energy grid, and Ukraine has attacked Russian oil facilities with drones.
Ukrainian tankPAP/EPA/NIKOLETTA STOYANOVA
A diplomat who took part in the talks told the daily that the Russian side postponed the meeting with Qatari representatives after Ukrainian troops entered Russian territory. He added that the Moscow delegation called it an “escalation” and noted that Ukraine had not informed Qatar about planning “its cross-border offensive.”
The daily's source noted that the Kremlin had not withdrawn from the talks, but had temporarily suspended them.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky He previously stressed that Kiev would only consider a full ceasefire if Russia withdrew all its troops from Ukrainian territory, including the Crimean peninsula. Vladimir Putin in turn, he demanded that Ukraine return to Russia the Ukrainian regions that are currently under temporary occupation by Russian troops.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces launched an offensive operation in the Kursk region on Russian territory on August 6. The territories of present-day Russia have not been occupied by foreign armies since World War II.
Main image source: PAP/EPA/NIKOLETTA STOYANOVA