Russia is prepared to hold peace talks with Ukraine “without preconditions,” President Vladimir Putin told U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff during a meeting on Friday, the Kremlin announced.
“During yesterday’s talks with Trump’s envoy Witkoff, Vladimir Putin reiterated that Russia is ready to resume negotiations with Ukraine without any preconditions,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, noting that Putin has made similar statements in the past.
Despite this, the Russian President has consistently outlined key demands regarding Ukraine, including Moscow’s control over five Ukrainian regions it claims to have annexed, Ukraine’s renunciation of NATO membership, and its demilitarisation.
More broadly, Putin views the conflict as part of a “hybrid war” waged by NATO against Russia and seeks to overhaul Europe’s security architecture, particularly concerning the positioning of NATO forces near Russia’s borders.
Putin and Witkoff discussed the possibility of direct talks between Russia and Ukraine during a three-hour meeting in Moscow, which a Kremlin aide described as “constructive.”
Russia and Ukraine have not held direct negotiations since Moscow launched its offensive in 2022—a conflict that has devastated large parts of eastern Ukraine and resulted in tens of thousands of deaths.
Source: AFP
