⚡️Russia denies reported indirect negotiations with Ukraine to halt energy strikes.

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova denied on Aug. 18 a report that the country was entering indirect talks with Ukraine in Qatar on mutually halting strikes on energy infrastructure.

The Washington Post (WP) reported on Aug. 17, citing undisclosed official sources, that Russia was preparing to enter secret indirect talks with Ukraine - facilitated by Qatar - to mutually stop attacks on energy infrastructure. According to the WP, Ukraine's incursion into Russia disrupted plans for those indirect talks.

In response to the report, Zakharova claimed that "no one broke anything off because there was nothing to break off."

"There have been no direct or indirect negotiations between Russia and the Kyiv regime on the safety of civilian critical infrastructure facilities," Zakharova said.