MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The statement comes as Ukrainian lawmaker Nadezhda Savchenko, who had been detained in Russia since mid-2014 until President Vladimir Putin pardoned her last May, said that Crimea would "have to be left out for some time" to resolve the Donbass conflict.
"Such an absolute blockade of these regions in terms of fulfilling social obligations in terms of paying pensions, providing infrastructure and so on rather suggests that Kiev is giving up Donbass itself," Peskov told reporters.
Peskov stressed that "Russia, as a guarantor country is doing everything possible to influence the parties to the conflict, and these are the regions of Donbass and Kiev — so that they fulfill their obligations."
"Russia is doing its best to contribute to this internal Ukrainian settlement," he said.