Putin expresses willingness to engage in direct peace negotiations with Ukraine

MOSCOW/KYIV. For the first time in years, Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed bilateral talks with Ukraine, signaling a potential shift in the long-stalled peace process. The move comes amid mounting international pressure and follows a fragile Easter truce that lasted just 30 hours before both sides accused each other of violations.

Speaking to Russian state TV reporter Pavel Zarubin, Putin said Moscow was open to any peace initiatives, including discussions with Ukraine aimed at halting attacks on civilian infrastructure.
“We have always talked about this, that we have a positive attitude towards any peace initiatives. We hope that representatives of the Kyiv regime will feel the same way,”
Putin said.

This is the most direct signal from the Kremlin in years that it is willing to return to the negotiating table for one-on-one discussions, a format largely abandoned since the early weeks of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov further clarified Putin’s position, telling the Interfax news agency:

“When the president said that it was possible to discuss the issue of not striking civilian targets, including bilaterally, the president had in mind negotiations and discussions with the Ukrainian side.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy responded in his nightly video address, reiterating Ukraine’s readiness for dialogue focused on halting attacks on civilians.

“Ukraine maintains its proposal not to strike at the very least civilian targets. And we are expecting a clear response from Moscow,” he said.
“We are ready for any conversation about how to achieve this.”

Zelenskiy emphasized that this week’s scheduled talks in London, with participation from U.S. and European officials, have a primary goal:

“The primary task is to push for an unconditional ceasefire. This must be the starting point.”

Earlier on Monday, Zelenskiy also said that an unconditional ceasefire should be followed by “the establishment of a real and lasting peace.”

Both Russia and Ukraine have indicated openness to further ceasefires following the short-lived Easter truce announced unilaterally by Moscow. However, skirmishes quickly resumed, with both sides trading blame for breaking the truce. Washington has said it supports an extension of the ceasefire but warned that its patience is running thin.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a joint statement Friday suggesting that the United States might pull out of its mediation role if no tangible progress is made “within days.” However, on Sunday, Trump struck a more optimistic tone, saying he hoped the two sides would reach a deal “this week.”

Zelenskiy warned that Russia’s continued strikes during the brief ceasefire suggested that Moscow was not serious about ending the war. He reiterated Ukraine’s policy of responding proportionally to Russian aggression:

“The nature of Ukraine’s actions will remain symmetrical: ceasefire will be met with ceasefire, and Russian strikes will be met with our own in defence. Actions always speak louder than words,”
he posted on X.

Despite Putin’s remarks, Russia’s peace demands remain a significant obstacle. The Kremlin insists Ukraine must cede all the territory Russia has claimed to annex and adopt a stance of permanent neutrality, terms Kyiv rejects as tantamount to surrender and vulnerability to future aggression.

Still, the Kremlin remains hopeful, according to Peskov:

“President Putin and the Russian side remain open to seeking a peaceful settlement. We are continuing to work with the American side and, of course, we hope that this work will yield results.”

As international efforts to end the war gather momentum, the coming days in London may prove pivotal. Whether these signals of openness will translate into substantive steps toward peace remains to be seen.