Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed his willingness to engage in direct peace talks with Ukraine, a shift in his stance after years of limited dialogue, reports news agency Reuters.
Speaking to Russian state TV on Monday, Putin proposed bilateral discussions for the first time in years, responding to pressure from Washington to show a readiness for peace in Ukraine. He also indicated that Russia was open to more ceasefires, following a short Easter truce, which lasted just 30 hours.
Putin, in his statement, reaffirmed Russia’s openness to peace initiatives and called for dialogue, particularly around the issue of not striking civilian targets.
According to Interfax news agency, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, “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.”
The proposed talks come amid continued conflict, despite a surprise Easter ceasefire declared by Putin on Saturday. Both sides accused each other of violating the truce, with Ukraine dismissing it as a mere publicity stunt. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that Kyiv would be sending a delegation to London on Wednesday to meet with the United States and other Western allies, continuing efforts to find a resolution to the war that has lasted more than three years.
The London talks will follow a meeting in Paris last week where the US and European countries discussed potential solutions to end the ongoing conflict. Zelenskiy, however, has remained sceptical of any immediate breakthrough with Russia, especially after reports of Russian attacks during the ceasefire. He called for a 30-day truce focused on civilian targets but condemned continued Russian aggression as proof that Moscow seeks to prolong the war.
However, Zelenskyy did not acknowledge Putin’s proposal for bilateral talks in his own statements, which focused on Ukraine’s ongoing diplomatic efforts in London. “Ukraine, the United Kingdom, France, and the United States — we are ready to move forward as constructively as possible, just as we have done before, to achieve an unconditional ceasefire, followed by the establishment of a real and lasting peace,” Zelenskyy wrote on X.
Zelenskyy also reinforced Ukraine’s stance on the war, stating that the country’s military actions would mirror those of Russia. “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 said on X.
The ongoing situation is being monitored by global leaders, including US President Donald Trump, who has expressed cautious optimism about the possibility of a peace deal. Trump suggested that “hopefully” the two sides would reach an agreement “this week”.
Despite the truce, tensions remain high, with Ukrainian forces reporting nearly 3,000 violations of the ceasefire, particularly along the Pokrovsk section of the frontline. Russia’s defence ministry also claimed that Ukrainian forces fired on Russian positions 444 times and launched more than 900 drone attacks, resulting in civilian casualties.
