Russian President Vladimir Putin has signaled an openness to conducting bilateral talks on military strikes with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, days after the United States warned that it may “move on” from facilitating peace talks if negotiations go nowhere.
“We need to sort this out. Maybe even bilaterally,” Putin said Monday when speaking to journalists.
“We have a positive attitude towards a ceasefire,” Putin said. “That is why we have always said that we take a positive attitude to any peace initiatives. “We hope that the representatives of the Kyiv regime will feel the same way.”
Kremlin top spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Monday that when Putin stated “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,” Reuters reported, citing Interfax news agency.
Putin called for a brief truce Saturday with Ukraine, which he said would end Saturday night. Ukraine has called for the ceasefire to be extended and accused the Kremlin of breaking the short truce, saying the Russian military was conducting artillery strikes.
On Friday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned the U.S. could “move on” from mediating the ceasefire talks between two Eastern European countries if the negotiations don’t provide more progress.
“We are now reaching a point where we need to decide whether this is even possible or not,” Rubio told reporters. “Because if it’s not, then I think we’re just going to move on.”
“It’s not our war. We have other priorities to focus on,” he stated, adding the decision could come in a “matter of days.”
Russia and Ukraine have not held direct talks about ending the war that has been ongoing for over three years.
The Ukrainian delegation will go to London on Wednesday to participate in peace talks with European and U.S. officials, Zelensky announced Monday.
“Already this Wednesday, our representatives will be working in London. Ukraine, the United Kingdom, France, and the United States — we are ready to move forward as constructively as possible,” the Ukrainian president said.