U.S. Special Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg has dismissed Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov’s assertion that Washington and Kyiv are holding up peace negotiations, describing the claim as “Orwellian” and urging an immediate cease-fire and the start of trilateral talks. Kellogg said Russia “cannot delay negotiations while it bombs civilian targets,” adding that President Donald Trump remains committed to ending the conflict. Responding at a briefing in Moscow, Peskov insisted that Russia is ready to pursue a political and diplomatic settlement and is “not interested in delaying anything.” He said further talks depend on Ukraine’s position and on the fulfillment of earlier humanitarian agreements reached during meetings in Istanbul. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko later told reporters that he had conveyed President Vladimir Putin’s position to Kellogg during a 21 June meeting in Minsk and that the U.S. envoy had “promised to work” on preventing Ukrainian drone and missile strikes on Russian territory. Lukashenko urged Washington to move beyond what he called its “pre-election bacchanalia” and implement previously discussed steps toward a truce. Kellogg rejected Lukashenko’s depiction of their conversation, according to U.S. and Ukrainian media, reiterating that the onus is on Moscow to halt its attacks and engage seriously in negotiations. No date has been set for a new round of talks, and fighting continues along multiple fronts in eastern and southern Ukraine.