Putin ready for talks to end war, but has conditions - Reuters
Kyiv • UNN
Putin is ready to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine, provided that Kyiv recognizes the “borders” that currently form the front line.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to negotiate a negotiated end to the war in Ukraine, provided that Kyiv recognizes the "borders" along the front line. This is reported by Reuters, citing sources in Russia, UNN reports.
Details
According to the newspaper, Putin is ready to continue fighting if Kyiv and the West do not respond to Russia's proposals for negotiations.
Three sources familiar with the discussions in Putin's inner circle told Reuters that the dictator expressed frustration to a small group of advisers that Ukraine refuses to negotiate with Russia, and the West supports it.
"Putin can fight as long as he needs to, but he is also ready for a ceasefire to freeze the war," said another senior Russian source who has worked with Putin and was aware of the conversations at the highest levels in the Kremlin.
Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, responding to a request for comment, said that the Kremlin leader has repeatedly made it clear that Russia is open to dialogue to achieve its goals, saying that the country does not want "eternal war.
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According to two sources familiar with conversations in the highest echelons of power in the Kremlin, Putin believes that the successes in the war so far are enough to "sell the victory to the Russian people.
The publication also notes that Putin understood that any new successes would require another nationwide mobilization, and he did not want that. One source familiar with the Russian president said that his popularity had fallen after the first mobilization in September 2022.
As Reuters notes, the prospect of a ceasefire or even peace talks seems remote at this point.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly stated that peace on Putin's terms is impossible. One source believes that while Zelensky is in power, there can be no deal unless Russia bypasses him and makes a deal with Washington. However, U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, speaking in Kyiv last week, told reporters that he did not believe Putin was interested in serious negotiations.
Addendum
Ukraine is preparing for a peace summit hosted by Switzerland next month, the talks were convened at the initiative of Zelenskiy, who said Putin should not participate. Switzerland did not invite Russia.
Moscow has said that negotiations are not credible if they are not present.
Speaking in China on May 17, Putin said that Ukraine could use the Swiss talks to force a wider group of countries to support Ukraine's demand for the full withdrawal of Russian troops, which Putin said would be an imposed condition rather than serious peace talks.
"We are ready for discussion. We have never refused," Putin said in China.
The Kremlin says it has repeatedly stated that Moscow is open to the idea of negotiations based on "new realities on the ground.
