Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov informed journalists that the report from the Washington Post was “simply false information,” denying that any phone call occurred.
The Kremlin on Monday denied a U.S. media report that Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. president-elect Donald Trump had spoken on the phone last week about the Ukraine conflict.
It seems like the Washington Post reported that Mr. Trump had a phone call with Mr. Putin on Thursday, advising him not to escalate the conflict.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists that the Washington Post report was “simply false information”, denying any phone call took place.
The Post report said that Mr. Trump in the call reminded Mr. Putin of Washington’s sizeable military foothold in Europe.
Several people speaking to the U.S. paper said Mr. Trump had expressed the desire for more conversations on “the resolution of Ukraine’s war soon”.
The Republican said on the campaign trail that he could end the fighting within hours and has indicated he would talk directly with Mr. Putin.
Mr. Trump has not said how he intends to strike a peace deal or what terms he is proposing.
The Russian President has demanded Ukraine withdraw from swathes of its eastern and southern territory as a precondition to peace talks.
The Post reported that people familiar with Thursday’s call said Mr. Trump had briefly raised the question of land with Mr. Putin.
After Trump’s election, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky cautioned that there should be “no concessions” to Mr. Putin. He stated that ceding land or yielding to any of Moscow’s other hardline demands would only strengthen the Kremlin and result in increased aggression.
