Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to begin negotiations and stop the military conflict in Ukraine, fixing the existing situation at the front, Reuters reports, citing anonymous sources. According to the agency, the head of state “can fight for as long as it takes, but Putin is also ready for a ceasefire.” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov emphasized that Russia has repeatedly stated that it is open to dialogue and does not want an “eternal war.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to begin negotiations and stop the military conflict in Ukraine, fixing the existing situation at the front. This was reported by Reuters, citing four high-ranking Russian sources who wished to remain anonymous.
Three sources familiar with discussions around the Russian leader said Putin expressed “disappointment” to a small group of his advisers at the West’s efforts to derail such talks and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s abandonment of them.
“Putin can fight for as long as it takes, but Putin is also ready for a ceasefire – to freeze the war,” said a Reuters source who “worked with Putin and has knowledge of top level conversations in the Kremlin.”
According to two of the agency’s interlocutors, Putin considers the successes achieved in Ukraine sufficient. At the same time, according to a Reuters source, the Russian president understands that advancement at the front will require mobilization, which he does not want to resort to. Press Secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov, commenting on this information, emphasized that Russia does not need mobilization and is instead recruiting volunteers into the Armed Forces on a contract basis.
Another factor in favor of ending the conflict, one of the agency’s sources called the return from the front of an increasing number of combatants, which, in his assessment, creates tension in society.
Ukraine’s position delays the possibility of dialogue
However, Reuters notes that the prospect of a ceasefire or peace talks now appears remote as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy insists on returning to Ukraine’s 1991 borders and has signed a decree banning negotiations with Putin.
“One of the sources predicted no agreement could happen while Zelenskiy was in power, unless Russia bypassed him and struck a deal with Washington,” the publication notes.
Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov, in response to a request to comment on the situation, said that the head of the Kremlin has repeatedly made it clear that Russia is open to “dialogue to achieve its goals.” The country does not want an “eternal war,” Peskov said. At the same time, he emphasized that there can now be no talk of transferring to Ukraine the regions that Russia included in its composition.
“Never refused” to negotiate
Earlier, Vladimir Putin spoke about his readiness for dialogue following his visit to China.
“We have never refused negotiations, unlike the Ukrainian side. It was they who withdrew from the negotiation process, they announced that they were going to inflict a strategic defeat on us,” the head of state said.
He once again complained about the failure of the Ukrainian leadership to fulfill the agreements.
“When our troops were stationed near Kyiv, we were told what our Western partners told us: you cannot sign documents if there is a gun put to your head on the opposite side. “What need to do?” – from our side we asked. “We need to withdraw troops from Kyiv.” We did it. The next day they threw all our agreements into the trash and said: well, now we will fight to the end. And their Western curators took a position now known to the whole world: defeat Russia on the battlefield, inflict a strategic defeat on it,” Putin outlined his vision of the situation.
Ukraine is not ready to conclude an agreement on the terms of the Russian authorities, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly said. The country is now preparing for the “peace summit” – an international conference that will be held on June 15-16 in Switzerland.
