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Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on Thursday that he was open to negotiations on the Ukraine conflict in potential discussions with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, signaling his readiness to end the war.
Putin emphasized that there were no preconditions for beginning talks with Ukrainian authorities.
Trump, known for his self-proclaimed expertise in brokering deals and as the author of Trump: The Art of the Deal (1987), has vowed to swiftly bring the conflict to an end, though he has not outlined specific strategies to achieve that goal.
Speaking during his annual question-and-answer session on state television, Putin told a reporter from a U.S. news outlet that he was willing to meet with Trump, whom he claimed he hadn’t spoken to in years.
Responding to a question about what Russia could offer, Putin rejected the notion that Russia was in a weak position. He argued that Russia had become significantly stronger since the 2022 military intervention in Ukraine.
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“We have always said that we are ready for negotiations,” Putin stated, pointing out that Russian forces were advancing across the front and moving closer to their primary objectives in Ukraine.
He added, “Soon, those Ukrainians who want to fight will run out. In my opinion, soon there will be no one left who wants to fight. We are ready, but the other side needs to be ready for both negotiations.”
Putin suggested that Zelenskyy, whose term had officially ended but who has postponed elections due to the ongoing war, would need to be re-elected for Moscow to view him as a legitimate signatory to any deal, ensuring its legal validity.
The Russian leader dismissed the idea of agreeing to a temporary truce with Ukraine, insisting that only a long-term peace agreement would be acceptable.
He also mentioned that any negotiations should begin with a preliminary agreement reached in the early stages of the war during talks in Istanbul, which ultimately was never implemented.
Some Ukrainian officials view that initial draft deal as one that would have severely limited Ukraine’s military and political ambitions, akin to a capitulation.
