Kremlin says talks can resume

Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin’s spokesman, said on May 18 that peace talks with Ukraine were paused but could resume, after President Donald Trump said a Russian strike on Kyiv had set back efforts to end the war. The Kremlin’s comments came after Moscow faced what NBC News described as its biggest drone attack in more than a year. They also came as Russian forces kept up long-range strikes across Ukraine, including a barrage that Ukrainian officials said involved 524 drones and 22 missiles. The sequence left Moscow presenting diplomacy and battlefield pressure at the same time. ### What exactly did the Kremlin say about the talks? Dmitry Peskov said the peace process was “on pause” but that Moscow expected it to resume, according to NBC News and other reports citing his remarks on May 18. Peskov made the comment after Trump told reporters on May 16 that a Russian missile strike on a Kyiv apartment building that killed 24 people, including three children, could delay peace efforts. (nbcnews.com) Trump’s remarks linked the diplomatic track to a specific Russian attack on Kyiv. Peskov, in response, said attention should also be paid to Ukrainian strikes on civilian targets inside Russia, NBC reported. ### How large was the attack Russia launched on Ukraine? Ukrainian officials said Russian forces launched 524 attack drones and 22 ballistic and cruise missiles in an overnight barrage on May 18. (nbcnews.com) The New Voice of Ukraine, citing the Ukrainian Air Force, said the attack involved 546 aerial weapons in total, including ballistic missiles and cruise missiles, with Dnipropetrovsk region taking the brunt. Dnipro and surrounding areas in central Ukraine were among the hardest-hit locations, according to multiple reports. Other regions named in coverage of the barrage included Odesa, Chernihiv and Zaporizhzhia. ### What happened around Moscow? Moscow region authorities reported that Ukraine carried out the largest drone attack on the Russian capital area in more than a year over the weekend, according to NBC News. (english.nv.ua) At least three people were killed in the wider region around the capital, NBC reported. The Kremlin used that attack to argue that Ukrainian strikes on Russian civilian targets also needed to be part of the discussion around any peace process. (english.nv.ua) Peskov’s comments did not announce a date or venue for new talks. ### Why are Trump’s remarks part of this story? Donald Trump said on May 16 that the Russian missile strike on Kyiv had delayed efforts to reach peace in the war, according to NBC News. (nbcnews.com) His comment placed the latest Russian attacks directly in the context of ongoing diplomatic contacts. Peskov answered that point by saying the process was paused rather than broken off. (nbcnews.com) That left the Kremlin maintaining that negotiations remained possible even as Russian and Ukrainian forces continued exchanging long-range attacks. ### Is there any sign of a concrete next step? No new meeting date was cited in the Kremlin comments reported on May 18. (nbcnews.com) The immediate next step is likely to come through further public statements from Peskov, Ukrainian officials or the White House rather than through an announced negotiating session. May 19 coverage continued to track new Russian strikes, including reporting that Dnipro and other regions were again under pressure. (nbcnews.com) For now, the public record shows two tracks moving at once: the Kremlin saying talks can resume, and the war continuing through daily drone and missile attacks. (theshillongtimes.com)