Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov announced at a press briefing on Wednesday, July 22, that they had no information about the meeting of Russian and German representatives in Baku, which Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev had confirmed a day earlier. Peskov said, "I have no information about this meeting, so I have nothing to tell you."
Aliyev had stated at a joint press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz that they were unaware of the meeting until the report by the British newspaper The Times, but that an investigation confirmed the individuals named in the report were in Baku.
Russia to participate at high level in G20 summit
Peskov also spoke about the G20 summit planned to be held in the US. Emphasizing that Russia would be represented at a high level at the summit, Peskov said that there was no personal invitation sent to President Vladimir Putin, that the host country expects the participation of all delegations, and that each country determines its own level of representation. Russian Foreign Ministry Ambassador-at-Large Marat Berdiyev had previously said that the US, which plans to host the G20 summit in Miami in December, had signaled interest in the participation of the Russian President.
EU sanctions will directly hit member states
The Kremlin Spokesperson argued that the new sanctions package prepared by the European Union could directly affect the economic interests of member states. Earlier, Politico had reported, citing sources, that the 21st sanctions package was facing difficulties due to the possibility of harming the interests of some EU countries.
"So far, these sanctions have indirectly hit Europe, European taxpayers and businesses, yet still caused billions of dollars in damage. Now, only sanctions that will directly hit the interests of a number of EU member states remain"
Peskov said this situation was causing disagreements among member states over new restrictions. Reiterating that Russia considers EU sanctions illegal under international law, Peskov argued that there is no such thing as a "sanctions limit," and that "there is no limit to madness either."
Putin's ceasefire conditions remain valid
Touching on the situation in Ukraine, Peskov stated that the ceasefire conditions previously voiced by President Putin are still valid. "Two years ago, President Putin, in his address to the heads of the Russian Foreign Ministry, listed the basic conditions for a cessation of hostilities. All these conditions are still valid today; these parameters are well known around the world, including in Kyiv," he said.
Peskov said that if the Kyiv administration makes a "responsible decision," the hostilities could be stopped quickly and serious negotiations could begin, but he declined to comment on press reports about possible changes in Russia's stance on territorial issues. Saying that it was not appropriate to discuss such details in public, Peskov noted that the reports in the media were largely speculative.
Commenting on the command changes in the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the Kremlin Spokesperson said that the upheavals pointed to internal processes within the Kyiv administration. Peskov said, "All this turmoil... the Kyiv regime is being shaken from within, this is understandable and can be seen with the naked eye." Ukrainian Chief of General Staff Oleksandr Syrskyi had previously confirmed his departure from office.
