MOSCOW - Russia currently sees "no grounds for negotiations" with Ukraine, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday.
Peskov told Russian daily Izvestia that several countries have expressed readiness to host peace talks, including Qatar.
"Indeed, the emirate is very active in providing mediation services on various issues and does so effectively ... We appreciate the goodwill of all countries, including Qatar," he said.
NATO membership
On Tuesday, Peskov said that the potential decision to grant Ukraine full NATO membership will be "unacceptable" for Russia.
Commenting on media reports about Ukraine seeking a full membership guarantee from NATO, Peskov said such moves are "in absolute contrast to our thesis on the indivisibility of security," adding that the security of one country should not come at the expense of another.
The spokesperson noted that such a development would be a "threatening event" for Russia and would not eliminate the root causes of the current conflicts.
Earlier in the day, the Ukrainian news outlet European Pravda reported that the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry conveyed to the NATO foreign ministers' meeting that full NATO membership is the only real guarantee of security for Kiev, and would serve as a deterrent to "further Russian aggression" against Ukraine and other states.
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Military drills
Separately, the Russian Navy and Aerospace Forces launched high-precision sea- and air-based missiles in the eastern Mediterranean Sea as part of ongoing military drills, the country's Defense Ministry said Tuesday.
The Russian Navy Forces fired hypersonic Zircon missiles and a Kalibr cruise missile at a target position at sea, the ministry said in a statement, adding that an Oniks cruise missile was also launched from the Mediterranean coast.
The exercise involves over 1,000 military personnel, 10 ships and support vessels, and 24 aircraft, including MiG-31I fighters with Kinzhal hypersonic missiles from the Russian Aerospace Forces and the Bastion coastal missile system, it added.
