Kremlin says Ukraine peace talks on ‘situational pause’ amid Iran war

Peace talks between the United States, Russia and Ukraine on ending the Ukraine-war" class="entity-link entity-event" data-entity-id="3783" data-entity-type="event">Ukraine war, the deadliest European conflict since World War II, were on a “situational pause”, the Kremlin said on Thursday.Moscow’s statement followed a report by Russia’s Izvestia newspaper that the Iran-war" class="entity-link entity-event" data-entity-id="38748" data-entity-type="event">Iran war had temporarily ‌halted negotiations between ⁠Moscow, ⁠Washington and Kyiv.Kremlin ‌spokesman Dmitry Peskov said ‌Russia hoped ‌the ‌pause would end and ⁠another round of ⁠negotiations can be held.US President Donald Trump, who last year said he wanted to be remembered as ‌a peacemaker, vowed to end the Ukraine-war" class="entity-link entity-event" data-entity-id="3783" data-entity-type="event">Ukraine war but has since said that efforts to resolve the conflict have been one of his biggest disappointments.A Ukrainian soldier walks down a road covered with anti-drone netting in Izyum, Kharkiv region. Photo: AFPThe US and Israeli attack on Iran has diverted US attention away from Ukraine and triggered soaring prices for oil and gas - of which Russia is a major global producer and exporter.Izvestia, which in Soviet times represented official state views and is now under European Union sanctions, said in a front-page story that the Iran ⁠war could push Kyiv towards compromise.