Talks on Ukraine without Russia are pointless: Russian foreign ministry

Zakharova also told reporters that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's peace formula does not bring peace closer but prolongs the conflict.

Moscow: Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday that any talks on ending the conflict in Ukraine were pointless without Russian participation, referring to a conference that Switzerland plans to host in June.

Zakharova also told reporters that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's peace formula - which calls for a full withdrawal of Russian forces from all the territory they have captured - does not bring peace closer but prolongs the conflict.

Switzerland announced earlier this month it would host a two-day high-level conference on June 15-16 on achieving peace in Ukraine. Russia has said it will not take part, and the Kremlin has said that the idea of holding peace talks without it was ridiculous