The withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine by the end of the year is "out of question," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday. Peskov said at a news conference in Moscow that Ukraine should take into account the "new reality" that evolved after the start of the "special military operation" while forming its approach to a peace settlement. Regarding a statement by Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about "three steps to achieve peace," including providing Kyiv with modern tanks, artillery and shells, longer-range rocket artillery and missiles, increasing energy supplies and summoning a Global Peace Summit "to determine how and when the points of the Ukrainian 'formula of peace' will be implemented," Peskov referred to it as "three steps to the continuation of combat activities." Commenting on remarks by French President Emmanuel Macron, who said an agreement was achieved on the withdrawal of heavy and light weapons from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Peskov said there are no heavy weapons there, which can be confirmed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Peskov said Russia values meeting with the IAEA and will continue talks with the organization. He also said a meeting is being prepared between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping. "Our leaders are constantly communicating. We are actually preparing to continue these contacts. When and how they will take place -- we will inform you in a timely manner," he said. Putin and Xi will hold talks in a video format on what happened in 2022 by the end of the year, according to media reports. — Agencies
