Russia Focused on Bringing Peace to Ukraine: Kremlin

Russia is focused on bringing the Ukrainian conflict towards a peaceful settlement, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday.

"We are still focused on ongoing efforts to move the process towards a peaceful settlement," Peskov told reporters.

Ukraine Stays Mum on Truce Proposals

Ukraine has not reacted to the proposal of Russian President Vladimir Putin for a three-day truce to coincide with Victory Day celebrations, Peskov added.

On Monday, the Kremlin said that Putin had declared a ceasefire from midnight on May 8 until midnight on May 11 during the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany.

"President Putin showed a gesture of goodwill and announced yesterday that a temporary truce would be declared to celebrate the victory. We have not heard any reaction from the Kiev regime so far either. It is still very difficult to understand whether the Kiev regime is going to join or not," Peskov told reporters, adding that a lack of response is a manipulation.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's proposal to stop the conflict for 30 days is impossible without resolving all the nuances, the spokesman said.

"We have seen, but if we talk about such a long-term cessation, then the nuances that President Putin spoke about in the Kremlin are important. This is also important, but it is difficult to reach such a long-term truce without answering these questions. President Putin spoke about this, we need to remember these words every time," Peskov said, adding that entering into peace talks is a primary interest.

Moscow expects that Putin's initiative on the truce will receive an assessment in Europe and Kiev, Peskov added.

North Korean Soldiers May Be Awarded

It cannot be ruled out that Putin will award North Korean soldiers who excelled in the operation to clear the Kursk region from Ukrainian soldiers, Peskov said on Tuesday.

On Saturday, Chief of Russia's General Staff Valery Gerasimov announced that the Kursk region was fully liberated, as the last of the settlements had been cleared of Ukrainian military presence. North Korea has officially announced sending troops to Russia under the Russian-North Korean Strategic Partnership Treaty.

"I am not aware of these plans yet, but this cannot be ruled out, of course," Peskov replied to a question from reporters about whether Putin would reward the North Korean soldiers.

The question of the possibility of the continued participation of North Korean fighters in combat operations should be addressed to the Russian Defense Ministry, the spokesman added.

France Stays Deaf to Russia's Arguments

It seems like France does not bother to listen to Putin's statements, Peskov also said, commenting on the words of French President Emmanuel Macron about pressure on Russia.

On Monday, Macron said that Western pressure on Russia to make a ceasefire deal with Ukraine will increase in the coming eight to 10 days.

"It seems that in France, they do not bother to listen to the statements of President Putin, to our regret. It was President Putin who repeated many times that Russia is ready to begin the negotiation process without any preconditions. We have not heard a response from the Kiev regime yet," Peskov told reporters.

Macron's statement confirms that Europe still prefers to focus on continuing the war, which is regrettable, the official added.