No signals from Kiev about willingness to engage in peace talks: Kremlin

Moscow has not received any signals from Kiev regarding its readiness for peace talks, and no actions are being taken in this regard, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.

Commenting on media reports claiming Kiev is prepared to accept a ceasefire along the current front line in Ukraine without acknowledging territorial losses in exchange for security guarantees from the US and EU membership, Peskov said Ukraine has not contacted Russia about this matter.

"There is a lot of speculation and scholasticism about this in the media. As before, no one is taking any action in this regard," he told a press briefing on Thursday.

Peskov dismissed allegations from South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun regarding North Korean soldiers fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine as "fake."

The official also refrained from commenting on the cancellation of NATO leaders' meeting on Ukraine at the Ramstein base in Germany.

The previous meeting of the contact group on military assistance to Ukraine took place there on September 6, during which Kiev's allies discussed supplying air defence equipment.

US election rhetoric

Addressing the US presidential election, Peskov remarked that topics involving Russia and President Vladimir Putin are frequently utilised in American electoral campaigns.

"Over the past few electoral cycles, this has become an integral part of the American election campaign. The principle that 'the worse it is against Russia, the better for domestic political gain' is actively applied by almost all candidates," he said.

The spokesperson added: "It is unlikely that this can harm our bilateral relations now, as it is hard to envision anything that could lower them further than their current state."

Asked about the impact of US Hurricane Milton on NATO events, Peskov said "bad weather on another continent is not our concern."

The official also refuted speculations about Putin's phone conversation with former US President Donald Trump after his term, calling it "untruth."