MOSCOW — The Kremlin said Friday that the upcoming round of Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Geneva will be held strictly in a trilateral format involving Russia, the United States and Ukraine, with no European participation.“No, it’s only a trilateral format, meaning Russia, America, and Ukraine. There won’t be any Europeans there,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, dismissing the possibility of the European Union or international organizations taking part.The talks are scheduled for Feb. 17–18 in Geneva and are part of a mediation effort facilitated by Washington. Peskov said Russia’s delegation will be led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky.Earlier this week, Peskov confirmed that an agreement had been reached to hold the next round of negotiations “next week,” without providing further details.Russia and Ukraine previously held two rounds of US-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi in January and earlier this month. Those discussions resulted in the first prisoner exchange between the two sides in five months.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Bloomberg News that the next round would take place on Feb. 17–18 in Geneva.His communications adviser, Dmytro Lytvyn, later confirmed the date and location to Ukrainian media, including state news agency Ukrinform.In a statement on Facebook, Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov said Kyiv’s delegation had begun preparations.The team will include Umerov, presidential office head Kyrylo Budanov and Chief of the General Staff Andrii Hnatov.“The goal remains unchanged – a sustainable and lasting peace. We are preparing for serious and responsible work,” Umerov said, adding that the delegation was formed with military, political and security considerations in mind.Russia-US economic proposalsSeparately, Peskov commented on a Bloomberg News report that Moscow had proposed expanded economic cooperation with Washington, saying that while companies in both countries are interested, meaningful progress is unlikely before a resolution of the Ukraine conflict.The report cited a Russian memo outlining proposals for broad economic partnership, including potential joint investments in natural gas and critical raw materials, and discussions about Russia’s return to the dollar settlement system.Peskov said Russia had not abandoned the dollar. “It’s the issuing country, the US, that has restricted the use of the dollar by a number of countries,” he said, adding that the dollar would face competition from alternative currencies.On Gaza, Peskov said Russia has yet to determine its position regarding US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace initiative. Representatives of 19 countries signed the charter of the Board of Peace on Jan. 22 on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos. Its first leaders-level meeting is scheduled for Feb. 19 in Washington, DC.Peskov had earlier ruled out Moscow’s participation.
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