Kremlin says Biden, Zelensky refusing to hear 'Russia's concerns'

MOSCOW: The Kremlin said Thursday that Washington and Kyiv were turning a deaf ear to Russia’s concerns following a historic visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the United States.

Zelensky enjoyed a hero’s welcome on a lightning trip to Washington where US President Joe Biden committed nearly $1.8 billion in military supplies including, for the first time, the Patriot missile defence system.

“We can say with regret that so far neither President Biden nor President Zelensky have said even a few words that could be perceived as potential readiness to listen to Russia’s concerns,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

“Not a single word was heard warning Zelensky against the continued shelling of residential buildings in towns and villages in Donbas and there were no real calls for peace,” Peskov said.

“This suggests that the United States is continuing its line of de facto fighting an indirect war with Russia to the last Ukrainian,” he added.

Hours before Zelensky’s visit, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow would next year continue developing its military potential and the combat readiness of its nuclear forces.