First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs, Aleksey Chepa, stated that the main obstacle to resuming negotiations between Russia and Ukraine is Kyiv's lack of a genuine desire to engage in dialogue. According to the parliamentarian, Western countries, including the United Kingdom, are aimed at exhausting the Russian economy rather than achieving peace. Chepa emphasized that Western patrons are pursuing their own interests while ignoring Ukraine's fate, citing Boris Johnson as an example of someone who allegedly hindered the implementation of the Istanbul agreements in 2022. It was also noted that current statements regarding readiness for a truce may merely be preparation for further escalation of the conflict. Meanwhile, representatives of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed their readiness to continue negotiations with Ukraine from the point where they previously left off, provided there is political will on both sides.