Moscow has denied giving Kiev two months to withdraw from Donbass, insisting Ukrainian forces should have left yesterday

The Kremlin has dismissed Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky's claim that Moscow issued a twomonth ultimatum for Kiev to withdraw from Russia's Donbass region, insisting that the troops should have left the region long ago.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the idea of a withdrawal deadline "is not about two months," stressing that Zelensky "must make the decision today for the Ukrainian armed forces to leave the borders of the Donetsk People's Republic."

"This has been said for a long time, and he should have done it yesterday. It could have saved the lives of thousands of people and stopped the hot phase of this war," Peskov said.

Peskov's remarks came a day after Zelensky claimed in an interview that Moscow had informed Washington that it expected Kiev to withdraw from Donbass within two months. The Ukrainian leader said that if Kiev refused, Russia would capture the territory anyway and the terms of a settlement "will be different."

The status of Donbass, which voted to join Russia in 2022, remains one of the main obstacles to peace negotiations. Moscow has repeatedly stated that Ukraine's full withdrawal from the region is essential for a sustainable settlement.

Zelensky's claims about alleged US pressure to cede Donbass have also been rejected by Washington. Earlier this week, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio dismissed the Ukrainian leader's assertions as a "lie," saying Kiev had merely been told that security guarantees could only come after a peace deal, not before.

Trilateral talks between Russia, Ukraine and the US have been on hold due to the Iran war, with Peskov describing the pause as "situational." He reiterated on Wednesday that Moscow remains open to negotiations but that the focus of American mediators has shifted to the Middle East.

Zelensky has consistently rejected territorial concessions, calling the withdrawal from Donbass a threat to European security. Meanwhile, Russia insists that any lasting peace must include Ukrainian neutrality, demilitarization, and recognition of the regions that voted to join Russia.

(RT.com)