MOSCOW, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- Russia is confident of victory in the Ukraine conflict and believes victory is "very near", Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday.
"We are sure that the victory is very near....Our combat operations are proceeding very successfully," Peskov told a press briefing, noting that Russia hopes a path toward a peaceful settlement of the Ukraine conflict will be found sooner or later.
However, he said the Ukrainian authorities have demonstrated little flexibility, and that he does not believe Ukraine genuinely wants to end the war. "This war could have ended long ago."
Peskov noted that U.S. representatives have shuttled between Moscow and Kiev in recent days, devoting substantial time and effort to relaying the positions of the two sides. Russia expects progress on this front and hopes that trilateral talks involving Russia, Ukraine and the United States will resume.
"Serious work is underway. We hope certain shifts will emerge in this regard," the Kremlin spokesperson added. ■