Ukraine demands 'war crimes tribunal' for Russia as condition of 'peace' summit

Ukraine wants a "peace" summit to end the war with Russia but won't talk directly to its adversary until Russia has faced a "war crimes tribunal" before an international court, foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba told the Associated Press.

The summit would ideally take place by the end of February at the United Nations, "because this is not about making a favor to a certain country" but "bringing everyone on board," he told the wire service, while specifying that other nations can engage with the Russians before the war crimes tribunal concludes.

A Kremlin spokesperson responded that Russia has "never followed conditions set by others," building on a statement last week that referred to Ukraine's recognition of Russia's sovereignty over the Crimean Peninsula as a condition for a peace plan.

Kuleba told the AP he was "absolutely satisfied" with the fruits of President Volodymyr Zelensky's U.S. visit last week, including a $1.8 billion military aid package with a Patriot missile battery that Kuleba said will be operational in less than six months. That timeline can take up to a year under normal circumstances, according to the AP.

The two countries have recently traded barbs about who is resisting talks to end the war. Kuleba said Russia's actions, including continued military attacks on Ukraine, show that it's not actually "ready for negotiations" as President Vladimir Putin claimed.