Putin says Russia is ready for peace talks with Ukraine at any time

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Moscow is ready to start peace negotiations with Ukraine at any time and anywhere, News.Az reports citing Anadolu Agency.

“Based on these agreements… which were reached during difficult negotiations, almost a month and a half of negotiations in Istanbul and Minsk… we are ready to continue our dialogue with the Ukrainian side. And it does not matter where they will take place – in Minsk, Istanbul or Switzerland… Even tomorrow,” he stressed at a press conference in Hanoi, the Vietnamese capital.

Putin said he expected the West to oppose his Ukraine peace initiative and questioned why the Russian proposal was being called “unrealistic” when no one has similarly criticized Ukraine’s “ultimatum”, containing conditions unacceptable for Moscow.

Sensible politicians will consider the Russian proposal regarding Ukraine if they want to end the conflict, he said, warning that conditions could change depending on the situation on the battlefield.

“I don’t think such nihilism regarding our proposals will last forever. Of course, something will change, including our conditions, depending on the situation on the ground,” he said.

At the same time, if kyiv links the start of peace negotiations with the withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukraine, then the talks will never take place, he stressed.

Regarding the legitimacy of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Putin said he expects him to be replaced by the West in the first half of 2025.

Responding to a question about Ukraine’s counteroffensive in the Kharkiv region, Putin said the Russian military was considering all possible scenarios.

News.Az