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Kremlin says Putin open to Ukraine peace talks, but progress complex

30.04.2025 17:00
President Vladimir Putin remains receptive to “political and diplomatic methods” for ending the conflict in Ukraine, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday, but cautioned that Washington’s desire for rapid results overlooks the war’s complexity.
Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech at the Tauride Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech at the Tauride Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia.EPA/MIKHAIL METZEL / SPUTNIK / KREMLIN POOL

Peskov told reporters that Russia’s objectives “must be achieved,” preferably by peaceful means, and noted Putin’s readiness for direct talks with Kyiv.

“Unfortunately, we haven’t heard any statements in this context from Kyiv. So we don’t know whether Kyiv is ready or not,” he said in English.

U.S. President Donald Trump, who describes himself as a peacemaker, has repeatedly vowed to halt the “bloodbath” in Ukraine.

Peskov acknowledged Washington’s push for a quick agreement, but stressed that the “root causes” of the war are too complex to resolve “in one day.”

Trump told ABC News on Tuesday he believes Putin “wants to stop the war,” adding, “If it weren’t for me, I think he’d want to take over the whole country.”

He declined to say whether U.S. military aid would cease if negotiations faltered.

(jh)

Source: Reuters