Russia remains steadfast in its position for a lasting peace rather than a temporary ceasefire that would give Ukraine time to regroup and prepare for the continuation of the war, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, commenting on Kiev’s proposal for a Christmas truce.

“We want peace, we don’t want a ceasefire that will give Ukraine breathing space and time to prepare for the continuation of the war. We want to stop this war, to achieve our goals, to secure our interests and to guarantee peace in Europe for the future. This is what we want,”Peskov told reporters, reiterating Moscow’s position against Ukrainian initiatives for a temporary ceasefire.

The Kremlin spokesman also commented on contacts between Russian President Vladimir Putin and United States President Donald Trump, clarifying that the two leaders have not spoken by phone since their October 16 communication.

Peskov’s statement came after a question from reporters, in the wake of earlier statements by Donald Trump, who had claimed to have recently spoken with Vladimir Putin, without specifying when exactly the conversation took place.

Asked directly whether there had been telephone communication between the two presidents after the October 16 conversation, Dmitry Peskov responded one-wordedly: “No.

Finally, Peskov stressed that preparations are in full swing for Vladimir Putin’s review of the year on December 19.