MOSCOW, November 13. /TASS/. Russia is forced to proceed with its special military operation since Ukraine has no intention to negotiate, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday.
"Given the lack of an opportunity to continue negotiations, we will certainly proceed with the special military operation to achieve the objectives set by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief and the President [Vladimir Putin]," Peskov said at a news briefing while commenting on the recent statement by the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry to halt talks with Russia on the conflict settlement.
He also reiterated that Russia is still open to settle the Ukrainian conflict by political and diplomatic means.
"Russia is open to settling the Ukrainian conflict via political and diplomatic means. But with the lack of such an opportunity, when the doors for this have been slammed shut by the Kiev regime, we continue with the special military operation," according to Peskov.
British-based daily The Times published an article on November 12 based on an interview with Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Kislitsa, who was cited as saying that there was no "significant progress" in the Russian-Ukrainian negotiations this year and Kiev decided to "withdraw" from contacts with Moscow on the conflict settlement.
