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Kremlin denies reports that Russia will not discuss Kherson, Zaporozhye status with Kiev

Earlier, the Izvestia newspaper reported citing a source that these two regions would not be included in the new agreement between Moscow and Kiev

MOSCOW, June 7. /TASS/. Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied the Izvestia newspaper's publication that Moscow will not discuss the status of Kherson and Zaporozhye with Kiev.

"No, it's all wrong. <...> No, this is incorrect information," he said on Tuesday, commenting on the report that the status of Zaporozhye and Kherson would not be discussed in a new agreement with Ukraine if negotiations resumed.

The publication's source said that the Kherson and Zaporozhye Regions will not be included in the new agreement between Russia and Kiev because the overwhelming majority of the region's residents support Russia.

Russian-Ukrainian talks have been held since February 28. Several meetings were held in Belarus, and then the sides continued communicating via video-link. On March 29, a face-to-face round of negotiations took place in Istanbul. On April 12, Russian President Vladimir Putin told journalists that Kiev, having walked away from the agreements reached during talks in Istanbul, had sent the process into a stalemate. On April 20, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Moscow had sent Kiev a draft document with clear wording and was awaiting a response. The leaders of Russia and Ukraine did not meet during the negotiation process.

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