The Kremlin assesses as erroneous UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' conclusion that Donbas, unlike Greenland, does not have the right to self-determination, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said today, quoted by TASS, BTA reported.
"We consider these conclusions to be deeply erroneous from the point of view of international law. We do not agree with such conclusions and we have our own, well-known to everyone, reasoned position", Peskov emphasized at a press conference.
Earlier, the UN Secretary-General said in response to a question from TASS that he had come to the conclusion that the right to self-determination that peoples have is unacceptable in the situation in Crimea and Donbas. According to Guterres, the secretariat of the world organization believes that in these two cases "the principle of territorial integrity prevails" over the right of peoples to self-determination".
Peskov also commented on the issue of a possible meeting between the leaders of Russia and Ukraine - Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky. Earlier this week, Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov said that the Russian president was open to the idea of meeting with Zelensky.
"I would like to remind you that Putin did not invite Zelensky anywhere and did not offer him any meetings", the Kremlin spokesman said. "And Zelensky requested the meeting - Zelensky actually initiated the meeting. And in response, President Putin replied: "We are ready, but only in Moscow". "It is very important to remember this", Peskov stressed.
The Kremlin spokesman was also asked to comment on the information released by US President Donald Trump that he had asked his Russian counterpart to refrain from strikes on Kiev from February 1, "in order to create favorable conditions for negotiations".
"President Trump did indeed personally request President Putin to refrain from strikes on Kiev for a week, starting from February 1, in order to create favorable conditions for negotiations," the Kremlin spokesman noted. He did not specify what exactly the Russian side's response was. "I have nothing to add to what has already been said," Peskov said.
Earlier, Trump said that he had personally asked Putin to stop the Russian army's strikes on Kiev and other Ukrainian cities for a week because of the record cold. According to Trump, the Russian leader "has agreed to do it".