The Kremlin said Tuesday it will harden its stance in negotiations to end the war in Ukraine after accusing Kyiv of attacking a Russian presidential residence — an allegation Ukraine dismissed as baseless and intended to prolong the conflict.
Kyiv has said Russia's accusations are "lies" aimed at justifying more attacks on Ukraine and its foreign minister said Tuesday that Russia had not provided any evidence "because there's none."
Russia said Monday Kyiv had attacked a presidential residence in the Novgorod region with 91 long-range attack drones. It said it would retaliate and review its negotiating stance, but would not quit talks on a possible peace deal.
"This terrorist action is aimed at collapsing the negotiation process," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters Tuesday. "The diplomatic consequence will be to toughen the negotiating position of the Russian Federation."
He said the military knew when and how to respond. A tougher negotiating stance would complicate efforts led by U.S. President Donald Trump to end the deadliest war in Europe since World War II.
