Kremlin Says Ukrainian President Needs To Be Forced To Make Peace

Meanwhile, France and United Kingdom are proposing a one-month truce in Ukraine 'in the air, at sea and on energy infrastructure' after crisis talks in London

- Agence France-Presse

MOSCOW: The Kremlin on Monday accused President Volodymyr Zelensky of not wanting peace, following a clash last week between the Ukrainian leader and US President Donald Trump.

"He doesn't want peace. Someone should make him want peace. If the Europeans do it, all kudos to them," spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. He described Friday's angry public encounter between Trump and Zelensky as "quite an unprecedented event."

He put the blame on Zelensky, who he said "demonstrated a complete lack of diplomatic abilities. To put it mildly."

Peskov said President Vladimir Putin was aware of what happened, saying it proved Russia's view of the conflict correct.

He suggested that European allies will also have to soothe Trump, saying "someone will have to make sizable efforts in dialogue with Washington in order to somehow cancel out the unpleasant residue that undoubtedly remains in the White House after talking to Zelensky."

In this situation, "clearly the efforts of Washington alone and the readiness of Moscow will not be enough," Peskov said.

The Kremlin commented after Ukraine's European allies held crisis talks in London at the weekend and Zelensky said he would work with Europe to set terms for a possible peace deal.