Kremlin Claims Willingness for Peace Talks While Expanding Offensive in Donetsk Region

Russia has declared its readiness to resume peace negotiations with Ukraine, even as its forces continue to advance around the frontline city of Pokrovsk, where fighting has intensified in recent days. Moscow’s Defense Ministry announced on November 12 that Russian troops had taken control of Sukhyi Yar, a village located south of Pokrovsk. The city, which once had over 60,000 residents but now counts fewer than 7,000, remains a critical transportation hub in Donetsk Oblast, connecting routes toward Kramatorsk and Slovyansk - the two largest Ukrainian-held cities in the region. Ukrainian officials describe the situation in Pokrovsk as increasingly difficult, with the threat of encirclement persisting.

Reports of Russian advances coincide with claims from the Kremlin that the United Kingdom recently sought to establish a back channel for dialogue aimed at restarting peace talks, an effort first reported by the Financial Times. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that “there were indeed contacts” but said the communication broke down because “there was no willingness to hear our position.” He did not specify when the exchanges took place.

Earlier on Monday, Russia’s state news agency TASS quoted Foreign Ministry official Alexei Polishchuk as saying Moscow is prepared to resume peace negotiations with Ukraine in Istanbul, emphasizing that “the Russian team is ready for this - the ball is in the Ukrainian court.” Polishchuk added that Turkish officials have repeatedly called for a renewal of the talks, which last took place in the Turkish city on July 23. That meeting lasted only 40 minutes and led to a prisoner exchange, but no progress on ending the war.

At the time, Ukraine proposed a meeting between President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin in August, but the Kremlin insisted that any such meeting take place in Moscow - a demand Kyiv rejected outright. Ukrainian officials continue to dismiss Russian claims that they are responsible for the collapse of the peace process, arguing that Moscow’s ongoing aggression and refusal to consider even a temporary ceasefire have prevented meaningful dialogue.

Since the breakdown of direct negotiations, now approaching the war’s fourth year, both sides have escalated attacks far beyond the front line, striking critical energy and infrastructure targets. Moscow’s renewed diplomatic overtures come amid heavy fighting and renewed Western sanctions pressure. Last month, U.S. President Donald Trump imposed restrictions on Russia’s two largest oil companies, Lukoil and Rosneft, after his administration’s frustration with President Putin’s refusal to agree to a ceasefire.

According to reports, Trump has expressed reluctance to hold further talks with Putin until the Kremlin demonstrates a genuine interest in ending the war. The U.S. had previously considered convening a peace summit in Budapest, but discussions stalled after no progress was made in previous meetings, including one between Trump and Putin in Alaska in August.

While Washington maintains that Moscow’s military campaign shows no signs of winding down, Russia insists it remains open to diplomacy, provided its conditions are acknowledged. Preparations for potential negotiations in Istanbul continue, with both Moscow and Ankara signaling willingness to facilitate another round of talks, even as the conflict grinds on with no end in sight.