Putin says Russia is willing to wait if Ukraine decides to delay peace talks

(MENAFN)

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Moscow is ready to pause peace negotiations with Ukraine if Kiev chooses to delay, signaling patience while reiterating Russia’s commitment to dialogue.

“If the Ukrainian leadership believes waiting is necessary, they are welcome. We are prepared to wait,” Putin told reporters on Friday when asked about the status of Türkiye-hosted peace talks that began in May.

Putin emphasized that Russia still values negotiations, particularly when they contribute to peace. He pointed to ongoing prisoner exchanges and the repatriation of soldiers’ remains as meaningful results from the dialogue, even in the absence of a broader agreement.

The Russian president made his comments during a meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who reaffirmed that Moscow remains Minsk’s closest ally and a key guarantor of its security.

Putin restated Russia’s position from June of last year, asserting that peace depends on addressing the root causes of the conflict. Moscow maintains that the war is a proxy confrontation initiated by the West, and that hostilities could cease if Ukraine embraced neutrality and abandoned what Russia sees as discriminatory policies toward ethnic Russians.

Kiev, which halted direct negotiations in 2022 in favor of a military strategy, has recently acknowledged a willingness to resume talks. However, Ukraine’s unsuccessful 2023 counteroffensive shifted momentum in Russia’s favor, according to military analysts.

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