Kremlin takes note of Trump's latest remarks on Ukraine settlement - Peskov

MOSCOW. July 29 (Interfax) - The Kremlin has taken note of U.S. President Donald Trump's statements that he was reducing the deadline for a ceasefire in Ukraine to 10-12 days from 50 days he set previously and that he was no longer interested in discussing Ukraine settlement with President Vladimir Putin, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said.

"We have taken note of President Trump's statements he made yesterday. The special military operation is continuing, and we remain committed to a peace process for settling the conflict surrounding Ukraine and securing our interests in the course of this settlement," Peskov told journalists on Tuesday.

Asked to comment on Trump's remark that he was no longer interested in discussing Ukraine with Putin, Peskov replied, "I would like to avoid any assessments. I'll repeat that we've taken note of President Trump's statements."

A normalization process in relations between Russia and the United States has slowed down, and Moscow would like to see more dynamism in it, which requires efforts on both sides, Peskov said.

"Indeed, there's been a slowdown, and the normalization process is going, so to speak, half-heartedly now. Certainly, we'd like to see more dynamism, and we're interested in that," Peskov told journalists when asked whether there has been a slowdown in restoring normal relations between Moscow and Washington because the Ukraine conflict has still not been settled.

"However, to make progress, both sides should be giving momentum to it," he said.