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Russian President Vladimir Putin has indicated for the first time that he is open to bilateral talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Speaking to Russian state TV on Monday, Putin said Russia has "always viewed any peace initiative positively." We hope that representatives of the Kiev regime will feel the same way.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin's comments signaled his willingness to engage in direct talks with Ukraine about not striking civilian targets. "The fact that the president says it is possible to have bilateral discussions on the issue of not hitting civilian targets clearly means that he is taking into account negotiations and discussions with the Ukrainian side," Peskov told Interfax news agency.
Zelensky has not directly responded to Putin's comments. But he said that Ukraine is ready for any talks that ensure the safety of citizens. There have been no direct talks between the two sides for several weeks since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. In a
video address, Zelensky said that Ukraine "needs a clear answer from Moscow" on whether or not it will agree to stop attacks on civilian infrastructure. Addressing the short-term and limited ceasefire announced by Putin at Easter, he proposed to stop any attacks using long-range drones and missiles on civilian infrastructure for at least 30 days.
