Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said the situation for Ukraine regarding a settlement of the conflict, including on the battlefield, has worsened, and if Kyiv does not make the necessary decisions now, its position will deteriorate further.

Axar.az reports, citing Russian media, that Peskov made the remarks to Vesti.

“[US President Donald] Trump said very clearly that if they had pursued a peaceful settlement a year or two ago, they could have reached a deal on much more favorable terms. Their position has now worsened. The situation on the ground has also deteriorated, and it is getting worse for them every day,” he said.

“If they do not act now and make the necessary decisions, their position will be even worse in some time,” Peskov added. “A lot depends on them. But you can see that Putin is open to exploring ways to achieve a peaceful settlement, and contacts are ongoing.”